Nonprofit wants antenna atop Somerton water tower
SOMERTON — A nonprofit organization is asking Somerton for permission to put an antenna on top of the city water tower for use by a radio station that would serve the area’s farm workers and Hispanic residents.
The antenna would be used by Campesinos Sin Fronteras, which received a license last year from the Federal Communications Commission for KYMZ, Radio Sin Fronteras.
The license is in effect for another 1-1/2 years, and Campesinos is currently seeking financing to cover the estimated start-up cost of nearly $500,000 for a station that will provide what is described as community programming.
Emma Torres, executive director of Campesinos, appeared at a recent Somerton City Council meeting seeking permission to place the antenna at least temporarily on top of the nearly century-old water tower looms overhead on the city’s north side.
“Installing the antenna in Somerton, from here we could cover the major part of population that we want to reach, which is the Hispanic community and the farm workers, with a very clear signal,” she told the council.
Somerton Mayor Gerardo Anaya said Campesino’s requests will be need to be reviewed carefully, give that City Hall has plans to remove all antennas from the tower as part of development of Centennial Park. The park, to be located at the base of the tower, is scheduled to be opened in 2018 on the occasion of the celebration of Somerton’s 100 years as a city.
The city council, however, did not rule out the possibility of allowing an antenna on top of the tower, depending on how long it would stay there.
The Somerton-based Campesinos Sin Fronteras provides health and social services to farm workers and Hispanic families primarily in the south Yuma County. Torres said Arizona Western College has provided technical support in starting up the radio station, while the city of San Luis Rio Colorado has expressed interest in collaborating with Campesinos in making it a bilateral project.
The tower is no longer used to provide water, and Torres said allowing Campesinos place an antenna atop it would mean a substantial savings in starting up the station.
Torres was joined at the council session by Martin Porchas, a former Somerton mayor and member of the non-profit’s board of directors. The radio station, said Porchas, would give City Hall another way to keep Somerton residents informed about city happenings.
“It’s rare that a license is granted for a radio station,” said Porchas, the Democratic candidate in November’s election for a seat on the county board of supervisors. “This is an opportunity that we can’t pass up, and one that would that would allow the city to make its programs and activities known to the public.”
The station’s broadcast studio will be located in the organization’s Somerton headquarters on Main Street.
In an interview, Torres said Campesinos Sin Fronteras currently is in talks to seek financing for the station, and said one option is to seeking funds through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Community Facilities Program. Another option is to seek supplemental funds through sponsorships by other organizations.
“We have a year and a half to begin operating the radio station — that is the time period that the FCC gave ups when it approved the license. It would be regrettable if we lost it, because it’s not something that’s easy to get, and the opportunity to have community radio would be lost.”