North County Communications Tower

With the Pend Oreille PUD holding the time honored distinction of being the first PUD to construct a major hydro-electric facility, we followed the tradition of being one of the first PUDs to construct and provision for operation of a cellular tower.  Talk about exercising local control. 

The communities of Metaline, Metaline Falls, and the recent home of Tech Cominco, reviving the Pend Oreille Mines for operation, were not afraid to inform local officials that they felt left behind without access to cellular services. 

In 2004, with an incredible cooperation among the communities, Tri-County Economic Development District (TEDD), Economic Development Council, Five Star Enterprise, the Kalispel Tribe, the PUD, and Pend Oreille County, we sought and were awarded a significant grant/loan for our broadband pan, which included cellular and other wireless services for the north communities of Pend Oreille County.  The generous grant/loan package was received from the Community Economic Revitalization Board (CERB), the state’s only economic development infrastructure program targeted to support business and industrial job growth in partnership promarily with rural communities.