Approval given to build Internet tower on city property

The Fort Scott City Commission learned Tuesday a new Internet provider in Fort Scott is looking to expand its service area.

Slayden Davis, the city's director of information technology, informed commissioners during their regular meeting that he and other city officials have been working with New Wave Communications, a new Internet provider that came into the city early this year.

Davis said the company has a presence in Fort Scott and is now looking to provide Internet service to customers in the Fort Scott Lake area. He said the company seeks to build a tower on city-owned property in the lake area.

Harry Lee, manager of communications for New Wave Communications, said the company is currently serving customers in the Fort Scott Industrial Park, which was the company's first priority. Now, the company hopes to bring Internet service to residents in the Fort Scott Lake area and eventually other homes and businesses in Fort Scott.

"We've received nothing but cooperation in our endeavor here," Lee said. "We have three customers up and running in the industrial park area. We want to continue to develop that, and now it's how to serve people in the lake area. We have an area in mind."

Lee asked commissioners for approval to build a 110-foot tower on city-owned property located at the southwest portion of Fort Scott Lake.

"City administration feel it's a good site," City Manager Dave Martin said.

Commissioners approved construction of the tower to provide Internet service for residents in the Fort Scott Lake area.

In February, Lee presented a broadband plan to commissioners and provided some background on his company, LaHarpe Communications based in Allen County. The company has been in business in Kansas since 1950 and had recently formed a new business as a wireless Internet service provider. Lee asked commissioners during a February commission meeting for approval to build a network around the city, starting with using three city-owned water towers to provide service with a plan to eventually build a tower in the lake area.

City commissioners and city officials spoke during the February commission meeting about the opportunity for economic development, to bring more bandwidth to area residents and the company being another Internet option for residents and businesses. Commissioners approved signing a contract with New Wave at that meeting.

At that meeting, Lee said in summer 2014, the company built its first tower and bought another tower toward the city of Gas. The company extended its network to Iola and Moran and uses water towers to provide service in those cities.

Davis has said the February agreement with the company is a lease agreement for use of city water towers to provide Internet service. He said Wednesday the company has "set up shop on the south tower" near Mercy Hospital, and partnered with the hospital "to help get them up and rolling" and "facilitate bandwidth to that tower." Davis said the hospital helped facilitate bringing the provider to town.

"Their (New Wave) first priority was getting the industrial park serviced for those who didn't have a cost feasible way to do so," Davis said. "It's a good thing for Mercy and there's been good feedback."

Davis said New Wave now has antennas on each of the three city-owned water towers.

"They need a tower for wireless to broadcast out," he said. "Their home base is the south tower (by the hospital). Everything feeds into that. That's a distribution point."