GENEVA — A new tower may be constructed on city property to assist the multiagency radio communications system in filling in “blackout spots” in the county’s emergency radio system, Geneva Fire Chief Doug Starkey said.
Starkey outlined the proposed deal for the multiagency radio communications system (MARCS) tower in the regular Geneva council meeting Monday evening.
At the insistence of Ashtabula County Sheriff William Johnson, several municipalities under county dispatching services were required to phase in the MARCS system in 2008.
Geneva-on-the-Lake, Andover, Jefferson, Orwell and Roaming Shores paid thousands of dollars to upgrade to MARCS radio system to comply with the sheriff’s department’s standards. The Ashtabula Police Department also upgraded to MARCS hand-held radios. The Ohio Department of Transportation, Northwest Ambulance District, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Department, and Ohio State Park employees all use the MARCS system, Starkey said.
The Geneva Township trustees offered MARCS officials 10 feet of available space on the township’s cellular tower to help with the spotty coverage. Plans were made to use the township tower, only to find out MARCS needs 30 feet of tower space, Starkey said.
“It would cost a substantial amount of money for that 30 feet of space,” Starkey said.
Now, MARCS officials have their eye on the city’s John McCroden Memorial Fire Training Center on Austin Road, where land is available for the construction of a 180-foot tall tower, Starkey said. Plans for the tower, which is well over the city’s height restriction, will need to be reviewed and approved by the Geneva Planning Commission before construction, City Manager Jim Pearson said.
“There are three towers in the county for MARCS, and we will be the fourth,” he said. “We are in talks now, as MARCS does some studies to make sure the slight move from the township to the city won’t affect the original plan for the tower.”
Geneva Police Chief Dan Dudik said while city police and fire do not use the MARCS system for dispatching services, Northwest Ambulance District employees use the system when they travel into Trumbull Township on emergency calls.
Starkey said the city also has several hand-held MARCS-compatible radios and pays a subscription fee to link up with the MARCS system.
Pearson said the city may be able to negotiate a break in the MARCS subscription fees for hand-held radios and also may receive income from any commercial ventures that use the tower.
Local News
Geneva may host county emergency radio tower
- Local News
-
-
Conneaut’s development headquarters takes shape
A small building two blocks from Lake Erie could become Conneaut’s economic development headquarters before the start of summer.
-
Sheriff’s detectives net two active meth labs
Acting on a tip, Ashtabula County Sheriff’s detectives and deputies uncovered an active methamphetamine lab Friday afternoon, according to Lt. Van Robison.
-
Former Ashtabula resident killed in car crash Tuesday
Ashley N. Penwell, 22, formerly of East Fourth St., Ashtabula, was pronounced dead at the scene of a Tuesday car crash on Charleston Pike Road in Chillicothe.
-
Ashtabula County is near top in 2011 bear sightings
Ashtabula County finished second in the number of black bear sightings reported in Ohio last year, according to a report from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife.
-
Break-in results in felony charges
A Conneaut man faces two felony charges stemming from a break-in at a vacant Cleveland Court house earlier this week, according to Conneaut Municipal Court records.
-
Conneaut Middle School’s Goodwill drive big success
Students and staff at Conneaut Middle School responded in a big way to a plea for donations issued late last month by Goodwill Industries of Ashtabula.
-
ACMC teams up with Goodwill on Valentine’s Day
This Valentine’s Day, area residents are encouraged to show their love by cleaning out their closets and heading over to Ashtabula County Medical Center.
-
Presses stopped: Updated with video
It was June 23, 1969.
-
Murder suspect kills self at mother’s grave
Madison Township police officers found the body of a murder suspect in the Alexander Harper Cemetery on Thursday afternoon, ending a day-long, multi-county manhunt.
-
Commissioners pay to get the business
Commissioners on Tuesday approved a $15,000 contract with Growth Partnership for Ashtabula County to provide business service representation on behalf of the county’s One-Stop job training center.
- More Local News Headlines
-
