MITCHELL – Lawrence County Emergency Management is moving forward with essential repairs to a utility building on Kings Ridge Road that houses a critical backup generator.
The facility supports one of the county’s communication towers, a structure that has served the area for over 35 years. Emergency Management Director Valerie Luchauer noted that while the donated tower remains functional, the supporting building requires immediate “tender loving care” to remain viable, she told the commissioners Tuesday morning.
The estimated cost of repairs and paint is around $30,000. The funds will primarily cover a full roof replacement and exterior paint.
Luchauer plans to coordinate with Community Corrections to provide labor for painting the facility, which would help manage costs while the department provides the necessary supplies.
The repairs are considered vital for ensuring the reliability of the county’s communication network, as the generator inside provides the primary power backup for the tower during outages.
