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 The School Committee took no action Thursday night on the proposed cell phone tower. |
Mount Greylock High Officials Await Cell Tower DecisionBy Andy McKeever
iBerkshires Staff
10:12AM / Wednesday, January 18, 2012
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Mount Greylock Regional High School took no action on a cell phone tower to be built the school's property despite the Zoning Board of Appeals saying it would not be permitted at the proposed location.
The School Committee approved and signed a contract with AT&T and Florida Tower Partners to build a cell phone tower on the southeast corner — near the football field — of the school's property early last year but that was opposed by South Williamstown residents, who feared it would ruin the scenery. Neighbor Peter Phelps, however, then stepped in and offered the use of his property.
After Florida Tower Partners explored usage of the Phelps' property, the company backed out because it would not have been able to secure permits because of wetlands and endangered species. Another location behind the school was considered early on but that location raises the same issues as the southeast corner, so the School Committee made no recommendation at its December meeting in hopes that the ZBA would make a ruling.
However, the ZBA hearing in December was continued until Jan. 19 — putting the decision back into the school's hands. On Thursday, the committee took no action and tossed it back to the ZBA.
According to School Committee Chairman Robert Ericson, town officials have said the proposed tower would not be approved in the southeast corner. If that application is denied, the company would not be able to apply for permitting for two years.
Ericson suggested that the committee approve investigation into using the rear of the school because of possible legal issues. Since the school chose the location and the company has invested money in that site, the school could be susceptible to a lawsuit, he said. However, other committee members contended that forcing the company to investigate yet another location could trigger a suit.
"The Phelps' property, they explored on their own," Carrie Greene, School Committee member, said. "They determined on their own accord that that property was not viable. But that wasn't our doing. We said 'OK, if you want to look there, that's fine.' To have them now spend money exploring another location on the Mount Greylock property is legally problematic."
Committee member Jack Hickey said making a decision without "concrete information" from the ZBA is getting ahead and proposed to deal with the issue if Florida Tower Partners returns to the board asking to reconsider locations. Committee member Heather Williams added that the committee had previously voted against exploring other locations.
"I think we should go ahead and leave it right where it is," David Langston, committee member, said. "Let the chips fall where they may."
In other business, this year's budget is trending well. So far the school has spent 46 percent of its $10 million budget, according to David Donoghue of The Management Solution — the company recently hired to manage the school's finance reports.
"Things are tracking pretty well," Donoghue said. "There are a few areas we will continue to look into more in depth."
One such area is the building upkeep line that has been overspent by about $13,000. Donoghue said those expenses were incurred during the summer and believes it may be related to extra hours worked by the custodial staff to prepare the new locker rooms. Despite a few lines that were overspent, there is enough room in the budget to cover those costs because the overages are mostly matters of bills being paid out of the wrong budget lines, he said.
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Tags: cell tower, MGRHS,
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