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Better Internet service to come with tower
A plan by a new Internet provider in Fort Scott to expand its services to the Fort Scott Lake area is moving forward.
During the Tuesday meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission, Harry Lee, New Wave Broadband manager of communitications, informed commissioners that an agreement between his company and the city to build a tower on city-owned property in the lake area has been finalized.
The agreement will allow New Wave to install, maintain and operate wireless broadband services to residences and businesses in the lake area.
Lee said when New Wave came into Fort Scott in early 2015, the company had three priorities to address; providing Internet service to the Fort Scott Industrial Park, providing Internet service to residents in the Fort Scott Lake area and, eventually to other homes and businesses in Fort Scott. He said the company currently serves customers in the industrial park and will now have a presence in the lake area.
"When we first came to the Fort Scott area, we had a list of priorities for service," Lee said. "The first was businesses and we got that covered ... The second priority was Fort Scott lake because there's no tower there. We've been negotiating to build a tower."
Slayden Davis, director of information technology for the city, said the two entities have been negotiating a contract in recent months. In July, the commission granted approval for the company to build a tower in the lake area.
"(The city) gave permission to them to start looking at that site," Davis said. "After a few months of negotiating back and forth, we got everything hammered out the way we want to begin construction at that site."
Commissioners unanimously approved a communication site lease agreement between the city and New Wave for construction of a 110-foot tower on city-owned property located at the southwest portion of Fort Scott Lake.
City Manager Dave Martin said Tuesday the land where the tower is to be built is leased to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks but he has talked with that agency and "they have no problem with putting up the tower. I've heard good things from the community about New Wave's performance."
Commissioner Jim Adams said he has talked with residents of the lake area and they are "excited about the service" and faster Internet speeds.
Davis said there is a possibility in the future of residents in the area of the Fort Scott Municipal Airport to receive the service.
The term of the agreement is for 20 years and begins Nov. 1. New Wave Broadband will provide broadband Internet services at 15 megabits per second each month at no cost to the city.
Additionally, for the five years following the acquisition of the 51st customer served by this tower, the city will receive a 1-percent revenue share of the recurring revenue generated by services from this tower, according to the agreement.