3/4/15 – You may have seen some recent news reports about a proposed “Sawbill” radio tower. The tower in question is actually located 3.5 miles southeast of Sawbill, near Marsh Lake. It’s part of a statewide public safety radio network known as the ARMER network.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation is in charge of building the system and they requested a lease of county land to erect a 330′ tower on the site. The Cook County Board of Commissioners voted last week to restrict the tower to be less than 200′. Not only will the lower height make the tower much less visible, but it will not be lighted.
The 330′ option would have been visible, both day and night, from many lakes, campsites and portages within the BWCA Wilderness including Alton, Sawbill, Smoke, Burnt and Kelly lakes.
It was gratifying to watch the county commissioners carefully study the issue, listen to their constituents and settle on a solution that everyone can live with. – Bill