On January 23, the Hempfield (PA) School Board officially gave final approval to Verizon Wireless to build a cell tower behind one of the district’s elementary schools, and at least 50 residents in attendance during the vote were not pleased, reported Lancaster Online.
“Disappointed. Extremely disappointed. It’s hard to put into thoughts right now,” East Hempfield Township mother of three said after the meeting. “I’m very frustrated for the lack of concern for the future health and safety of the students and the staff and the community members who are going to be situated right under the tower.”
The planned project includes a 100-foot tower taking up 6,050 square feet of land between Rohrerstown Elementary playground and baseball field. Verizon will pay Hempfield School District $24,000 per year to rent the space, plus an additional $3,000 annually for the next five years, and $1,750 in subsequent years, for radiofrequency testing.
School board Vice President Adam Aloisi noted that the tower will have “ubiquitous benefit” for the district. Although it was a “hard” choice, he said, the cell tower “poses no specific danger to students or staff.”
January 25, 2018
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