Water tower first, then radio tower

12/14/2008

By: George Moore, staff 6:48 pm

MERIDEN - Plans for a 77-foot emergency services radio tower at the corner of Carpenter and Dexter avenues have been put on hold as officials wait for a water tower to be built on the same site.

Since 2001, the Police Department has been planning for a radio tower at the corner to fill in radio "dead zones" east of Carpenter Avenue. The problem was especially bad around Paddock Avenue, said Capt. Don Parker, commander of administrative services.

"There were little or no communications east of Paddock Avenue," he said.

As a short-term solution, the department is using a temporary antenna at the site.

The department initially wanted to build a 77-foot tower that would be masked as a flagpole. The radio tower would also be used to enhance Fire Department and civil preparedness communications, said Deputy Fire Chief James Bowen.

"This tower would be an advantage to everybody and, for the public safety end of it, it's truly needed," he said.

But officials postponed the project because the Public Utilities Department is considering building a water tower on the same property.

The Police Department's radio consultant, Marcus Communications, indicated that a new water tower could interfere with the radio tower's signal, and recommended that the project be postponed. The Police Department will wait for the Public Utilities Department to build the water tower before installing a permanent tower, Parker said.

Once a water tower is constructed, Parker said, it is possible an antenna could be mounted to the tank and camouflaged to blend in, eliminating the need for the radio tower.