Twin Lakes will explore what sort of compensation might be in order for its agreement to locate an antenna on the police station tower on behalf of the county.
The county is constructing a wireless data network that will benefit public safety agencies throughout Kenosha County, explained village administrator David Cox. The network requires strategic placement of antennas.
While a key purpose of the network is better access to data for police officers and fire fighters, the network also will have a commercial aspect. HierComm, the company installing and maintaining the network for the county, will be able to sell access to the network to the general public.
Monday night, the Twin Lakes Village Board discussed what might be appropriate for the village to seek in exchange for the antenna placment.
The village receives about $46,000 from four cell phone service providers who have antennas on the police station tower.
Cox said his initial thinking was to seek free or reduced services from the county that the village now pays for in exchange for the placement.
But some trustees were in favor of some monetary compensation as well.
“Sometimes I like money instead of services,” Trustee Kevin Fitzgerald said.
Trustee Aaron Karow pointed out that the $10,000 a year that the village gets from cell phone companies might not be in order for HierComm and the wireless network because of the public safety component. But he still thought some monetary compensation might be in order.
Cox said he would meet with the county and see what is possible.
“Don’t be afraid to play hardball,” Fitzgeerald said.
“You have your work cut out for you David,” Trustee Sharon Bower said to Cox.
But all trustees present (Trustees Thomas Connolly, Jeremy Knoll and President Howard Skinner were absent) were in favor of having access to the technology for both the village and the general public.
“We have to keep up with technology,” Trustee Willam Moran said.
