Vital statistics: schools earn $30,000/yr
For one school district in southwest Florida, a cell tower lease agreement is providing a big boost to its financial outlook. Charlotte County Schools just broke ground on its first tower which will be located on the property of Lemon Bay High School in Englewood, reports WWBH-TV.
Schools within the district will make at least $30,000 a year on the agreement and revenues will increase by three percent each year. School board chairman Ian Vincent said the school district badly needs cash right now, so the wireless agreement is critical for the financial future of the district.
“Our school district, like all school districts, are in a struggle for dollars right now,” Vincent told WWBH-TV. “So anything we can do, any out of the box thinking for revenue, is going to be a win for us.”
The district responded to common health concerns surrounding cell towers, and hosted public meetings to quell parents’ concerns regarding the safety of towers.
“The RF energy from your phone is higher than if you’re standing directly underneath a tower,” said Milestone’s director of business development Jennifer Bond. Construction of a second cell tower at Port Charlotte Middle School in the district is set to begin later this year.
February 21, 2017
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