EAGLE RIVER — The Keweenaw County Board received a letter from Pasty.net General Manager Charlie Hopper at the regular August meeting on Wednesday.

The letter thanked the Board for approving Pasty.net’s July 2022 request for approval of upgrades to the tower located between the County Courthouse and the jail.

In the letter, Hopper said he has been working with Elcom, in Marquette, to refine the design and placement of the upgrade equipment and expressed the hope to receive the approval as referenced in the July Meeting minutes.

At the July 2022 meeting, Hopper addressed the board on whether the provider wanted to continue to work on extending bandwidth or sticking with “the status quo.”

The discussion had been tabled several times by the board from July 2022 until the June 2023 regular meeting, when Vice Chair Del Rajala said that the board was still waiting on Motorola before the upgrade for 911 can be done and that the county upgrade will come first, which is to include the addition of a marine radio antenna.

The tower in Eagle River is jointly owned between the county and 911 and was initially erected for 911’s use.

At the June board meeting, Rajala said he had contacted Elcom, which said it would conduct the audit on the antennas on the tower. Elcom will then be able to know the footprint of what the County is needing for antenna space, and they will inform Rajala. Rajala will in turn let Hopper know where he can move his antennas in order to complete the internet equipment upgrade.

At the August 16 meeting, Rajala said Elcom did conduct the audit, took everything into consideration of what the county and 911 wanted placed on the tower, and made their determinations.

“They determined, in their language,” said Rajala, “that they could go no higher than ‘about’ 72 feet.”

Rajala said that additionally, he was instructed not to install any type of equipment, cables, mounts, antennas, or other apparatus on the ladder way. It cannot be obstructed.

Rajala said that based on Hopper’s plans, he wants to remove three antennas and replace them with five antennas. Initially, said Rajala, the agreement between Pasty.net and the county was for the use of tower space in exchange for service for the county.

“What he’s actually doing to improve his service for his revenue.” said Rajala, “I call that. It needs to be discussed.”

The plans for the five antennas, said Rajala, include one pointed at Fitzgerald’s Restaurant, one pointed at the Gitche Gumee Bible Camp, one pointed at the east end of the beach near the mouth of the Eagle River, one pointed at the Jam Lady, and a final one is pointed at the Mount Horace Greeley tower, where the signal is coming from.

“But the other thing we’ve been after Pasty.net for is a safety issue,” said Rajala.

There is a power line on the ground coming from an UPPCO pedestal power feed, he said. It has been chafed, hit by a weed eater or a lawnmower, exposing the wires. It has been brought to Hopper’s attention several times.

Board President Don Piche said last month, prior to the July 19 meeting, he spoke with Electrical Inspector Ron Ekdahl about the hazard. Ekdahl said he had been in contact with the local company that was supposed to repair the issue. Ekdahl reported that the company communicated that its workers were scheduled to arrive the following week to repair it.

The hazard has yet to be mitigated.

The Board passed the motion to place the approval under unfinished business for the September meeting until Pasty.net eliminates the hazard.