Franklin County has agreed to allow a cell phone tower company to consider two county-owned properties on Highway 65 as locations for a new cell tower

 Franklin County has agreed to allow a cell phone tower company to consider two county-owned properties on Highway 65 as locations for a new cell tower.

The board signed a non-binding agreement that will allow Tillman Cellular Tower Company to consider the Landfill and the Sheriff’s Department as potential sites.

The company is also considering other locations in the area.

Commissioner Smokey Parrish said it would be good if a new tower was put up near the sheriff's department because that would allow the county to move its fire department repeater to a new location and tear down the old tower at the sheriff's office.

The repeater is a concern because it is hard wired into the sheriff's 911 console so if there is a lightning strike on the tower it can damage the expensive and necessary 911 equipment.

The new tower would likely not increase cell phone coverage to the dead spot near the county's northern border, but there a second company currently working to put a tower in that area.

http://live.oysterradio.com/