Cook County approves replacement of two aging communications towers

The Cook County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a proposal during its July 28 meeting to replace the county-owned Honeymoon Mountain and Bogus Lake communications towers, which officials say are critical to emergency response and public safety communications.

The existing towers are more than 60 years old and no longer pass inspections under current tower loading standards, according to county officials. The sites provide critical coverage and connection points for the Minnesota Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response, or ARMER system, as well as other communication partners.

Cook County MIS Director Rowan Watkins presented the proposal to the commissioners on Tuesday and said the project will include removing the existing towers, constructing new towers, and transferring existing communication equipment to the new structures.

The total cost of the project is $2 million.

The county secured $1.5 million in reimbursement from the Minnesota Department of Transportation for the project. MnDOT is also providing two new communication shelters at a cost of approximately $250,000 each.

Watkins said the new shelters will help protect the equipment housed at the tower sites and ensure continued system reliability.

“They’re really done right, and make sure that we’re protecting the investment that’s inside of that, and make sure that the system continues to operate,” Watkins said.

With MnDOT covering $1.5 million of the $2 million project, Watkins said the county is responsible for the remainder. He said to cover the costs, the MIS department will use the tower capital reserves, which as of May 29 stand at $813,113.

The county collects revenue from the radio communications tenants who use the tower. Watkins said the county collects about $176,000 annually, which is set aside into the tower capital reserves for future infrastructure improvements and capital costs. Additional funds are also set aside and allocated for operational costs related to the towers, such as plowing, brushing, and utilities.

“Leaving a good chunk within our tower capital for other infrastructure issues, we feel really good about the approach here,” Watkins said.

County officials selected VINCO INC. from three qualified bidders, citing the company’s pricing, knowledge of the area, and commitment to using local contractors when possible.

“We’ve used VINCO in the past,” Watkins said. “They’re committed to using local workers. We’ve seen them do that in the past. We know they do good work.”

The upgraded tower sites will also provide additional capacity for future co-location opportunities, which could create additional revenue for the county.

Audio of Cook County MIS Director Rowan Watkins presenting the proposal to the commissioners during the Tuesday, July 28, meeting is below.

Kalli Hawkins July 31, 2026