Lorain County Commissioners Move Forward with Tower Lease Termination, Assure Public Safety Will Not Be Affected
The Lorain County Board of Commissioners voted on August 12, 2025 to notify Cleveland Communications, Inc. that the county will not renew its lease for a communications tower on Burns Road in Elyria. The step is part of the county’s transition to the Ohio Multi-Agency Radio Communications System, a statewide trunked radio network intended to improve emergency communications and reduce costs.
The lease is set to expire on October 19, 2025 and permits termination with 60 days’ notice. Commissioners described the action as procedural under the contract and said county operations will not interrupt CCI’s service. They said the county does not operate the CCI system and only the company can discontinue its service to customers.
According to a county press release, the MARCS contract requires Lorain County to build and turn over towers, including those used for 911 communications, to the state system. The state will assume all maintenance and upgrades. County officials project taxpayer savings of more than $15 million. The agreement also prevents the county from extending or adding antennas to towers it does not own.
During public comment, the Sheffield Village police chief, who also serves as president of the Lorain County Chiefs of Police Association, said departments were concerned about potential service disruptions and asked for earlier notice on tower actions. Commissioners said they put the item on the public agenda for transparency and that discussions with CCI about a transition extension had begun.
In a separate statement, Sheriff Jack Hall said public safety radio service will not be affected. He said the Sheriff’s Office maintains connectivity with the legacy VHF system, CCI, and MARCS, supported by nearly $150,000 in radio equipment purchases to ensure interoperability. Agencies currently using CCI include Avon Fire, Avon Lake Police and Fire, Elyria Fire, Lorain Police and Fire, North Ridgeville Fire, Sheffield Lake Police and Fire, and Sheffield Village Police and Fire. Hall said both CCI and MARCS have pledged to maintain service for first responders regardless of whether CCI equipment remains on the county tower.
The county’s Emergency Services Public Safety Project includes six new towers within Lorain County and four in neighboring counties. Construction tasks such as tower erection, shelter installation, fencing, grounding, and electrical service are scheduled to be finished by the end of August. In September and early October, crews plan to install advanced radio equipment, connect tower backhaul, and optimize the system. Public safety agencies will be invited to participate in in-building testing before the system goes live. Commissioners said the goal remains clear and reliable countywide communication for first responders and long-term cost savings through the state-managed network.