Fiber optics for radio comms still a priority for county

FINDLAY — Hancock County leadership is currently in a holding pattern on the county fiber optics connection that will be used for county first responder radio communications. In September of 2024, the Hancock County Commissioners voted to pay $468,000 over the next 30 years to use Findlay schools' fiber optic strands for county offices, specifically to boost connectivity for a radio tower to be used by the Sheriff's Office for radio communications. Construction of the 300-foot tower just west of CR 140 was completed in spring of 2025 and cost the county $769,885. While its primary purpose was for county radio communications, the project has the likelihood to benefit other county organizations. The new tower replaced a 140-foot tower which was taken down due to damage and to make room for the new juvenile court building on West Main Cross Street. While the tower is complete, the county is still waiting on a connection to make it usable. "Commissioners wanted to look at two options" to run the necessary cables, said Sgt. Mark Price of the Hancock County Sheriff's Office. "One was an aerial option." Price said this was not the ideal course of action because many of the poles currently in place would have to be replaced at the cost of the county. Commissioners are now looking into what it would take to put the lines underground and are currently working on putting the project out for bids. County leadership has been reluctant to say how much this part of the project will cost until it receives more information from project partner Sigma Technologies, an engineering firm located near Toledo. Commissioner Jeff Hunker said the project has been in process for longer than he wants. "I want to get it going," he said. He hopes it will be crossed off the county to-do list by the end of this year, but is not sure if that is a reasonable goal. At a Board of Commissioners meeting last week, Commissioner Bill Bateson said this project was at the top of the county's priorities. Currently, the county has a redundancy communications plan, but is concerned the system may be affected by foul weather events. The current plan for fiber cable, the North Loop, as it is called, according to Hunker, will include fiber optic at the intersection of North Main and West Bigelow streets, then Interstate 75 to County Road 140 before connecting to the new tower behind the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. Future plans will include more fiber cables in a South Loop route that has yet to be determined.