Tough 'Cell' Last Time: New Cell Tower Proposal at Fire House

Can they hear money now? After spending a brief period of time on closed agenda, the council introduced the possibility of a cell phone monopole tower being erected in the village at Wednesday night's work session meeting. It could mean you have better cell phone clarity and the village is able to collect a tidy sum of money.

Village Manager Ken Gabbert told the council that a cell phone monopole fashioned like a tree could be erected at the on East Glen Avenue with an annual savings of anywhere from $30,000 to $40,000 per carrier, of which it's possible there could be five carriers. More likely, Gabbert said, there would be two or three but it "depends on the needs of the carrier."

Gabbert said one carrier in particular–whom council members and village management refused to mention by name– has already expressed considerable interest, a carrier Mayor Keith Killion said has been willing to make concessions in negotiations. Still, a few others may also be interested as well, Gabbert reported.

The tower built could be anywhere from the 120 feet tall to a maximum of 150 feet tall, the proposed height Village Engineer Chris Rutishauser would bid out to maximize the number of possible carriers. The construction, maintenance and other costs associated with the monopole would be paid for by a telecom company and leased.

Councilwoman Bernadette Walsh remarked that there had been a similar proposal at though it's apparently stuck in zoning board deliberations, Village Attorney Matt Rogers said. The village does share a tower with Glen Rock on Prospect Street in the borough, which brings in around $40,000 per carrier annually, Gabbert said. The revenue is shared and there are four carriers–AT&T, Sprint/Nextel, Verizon and T-Mobil.

This isn't the first time a cell phone tower has been proposed with the purpose of grabbing some gold in tough budget times.

As mentioned in a September 2009 article published by The Ridgewood News, neighbors on Lakeview Drive formed an action group to fight a 150-foot tower proposal near the composting facility on the border of Wyckoff and Midland Park.

The group expressed concern over health implications and declining property value, among others. The resolution after meager bid offerings coulped with the public outcry, according to published reports.

Once the village works out "some of the specifications," neighbors of the 205 E. Glen facility will be alerted as to the drafting of a resolution, Gabbert said.

The manager reported that the tower could possibly be placed in the wetland at the fire department headquarters and called the wooded area "well-blanketed" from view of neighbors.