Swapping out a 60-foot light pole with a 120-foot cell tower at Maryville (TN) High School’s football stadium will be put on hold while the Board of Education considers its options. According to The Daily Times, the Board was poised to vote on the project Monday night giving the school district a $100,000 up-front payment and, potentially, $5,000 a month in rent if fully leased. One dissenting vote and numerous questions from residents in attendance forced the Board to table the issue until further study is done and, as one member said “we can find out more about the process.”
The tower proposal by Memphis-based Tower Ventures was opposed by Board Member Bethany Pope, who referred to towers as “necessary evil” and told The Daily Times, “I don’t want to look at this when I drive downtown. I think it will be an eyesore. I’m shocked that the people around there, some of the houses, haven’t come forward. Maybe they just don’t know about it yet.”
Another Board member gave her approval. “My concern is for the lack of reception at the high school,” Candy Morgan said. “There is so much happening in our world today I just would hate for there to be a delay of getting emergency personnel there.”
Morgan’s colleague, Julie Elder, said if the placement of the tower in the community was an inevitability, she would rather see it benefit the students and have it provide them with an income stream lasting the 35 years of the lease.
Lou Katzerman, speaking for Tower Ventures at the meeting, said the lights would be placed at the same height on the pole as they are now with equipment located under the bleachers. Because the tower would be near an historic district, Katzerman said getting approval from state and federal offices would be less of a struggle since they are replacing an existing light standard. “They’re already looking at a pole with lights on it,” he told the Times. “The only difference is there will be antennas on the top.”
Board Member Chad Hampton inquired about other potential sites with Katzerman indicating there are others close by. “If we turn this down, are you telling me there’s a good chance you’re going to put this across the street?” Hampton asked. “Yes,” Katzerman said.
Prior to tabling the proposal, Chairman Nick Black told the Times “It will be an eyesore, but the enhanced coverage would be important.”
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