New communications equipment coming

WINSTON COUNTY - First responders throughout Winston County have received the long-awaited announcement that  much-needed communication upgrades and a new building on the county’s west side to house the new equipment have officially been given the go-ahead, meaning the project should begin soon.
The Winston County Commission voted at its December 9, meeting to award the construction of the 200-foot communication tower to Diamond K Towers, as well as approve the purchase of repeaters from Decatur Electronics.
Commission Chairman David Cummings explained the reduction in costs from the initial $162,000 project cost down to $100,000 was in part due to students with the Haleyville Center of Technology planning to construct  the 10x10 wooden structure with a metal roof on three acres of land donated to the county behind the Delmar Fire Department, which will house the updated repeaters and communication equipment.
Haleyville COT Director John McCullar noted they were approached by Cummings about students building the needed structure.
That led to Agriscience Instructor Jeff McKinney and Technical Design Instructor Jamie White talking with Cummings about the project, McCullar explained.
“We have submitted a design based on Mr. Cummings’ description and have been given the go-ahead on the project,” McCullar stated.
“We look forward to working with community agencies to assist in any way we can,” McCullar added. “Our students will learn not only building skills from this project, but also the importance of working with community partners.”
County officials are already making plans to prepare the newly donated three acres of land for the west side portion of the project, Cummings said.
“We have machinery down there working on installing a driveway and clearing property,” he said. “That is what we’re going to be doing over the next couple of months, getting the property ready.”