By: Brad Flynn | Published June 5, 2024
Talks about locating a 130-foot cell phone tower between Verizon and the Borough of Bath began in late 2017. The population density of Bath coupled with high wireless traffic made it evident the area would benefit from a cell tower. But how would the public take to a new cell tower, one that stood 130-feet tall nearly in the middle of town?
Cell tower installation can be a controversial topic in a community where one is proposed.
Through 2018, Borough Council held a few public meetings between Verizon representatives, engineers, and Bath citizens to discuss the proposal. In this way, Bath residents were very much a part of this conversation and whether a new cell tower would make a good fit.
Council and the public weighed the benefits of providing cell phone users increased bandwidth competing in an area where there exists a high volume of wireless traffic. Complaints about dropped calls, slow speeds, unreliable devices throughout the day could be alleviated with the new cell tower.
The cell tower was proposed to be built on Borough property, 121 Center Street (Bath Public Works Yard). This meant that the Borough would also receive lease payments from Verizon and any other carrier that desired to co-locate on the tower in the future. The deal would generate roughly $22,000 annually in General Fund revenue. A significant source of revenue that would help offset potentially larger property tax increases in the future.
Verizon engineers explained the cell towers safety. From the towers inability to be affected by strong winds, its use of non-ionizing radiation, and how the cell tower transmits less than 2.5% of the maximum FCC allowable electromagnetic frequencies.
While Council and the public realize cell towers are not the most aesthetic looking of public infrastructure, the tower was considered safe. Having the new tower would increase wireless capacity, offering better services to residents and beyond. The Borough could offset General Fund expenses with the use of cell tower lease payments, again benefiting the Borough tax base.
On February 14, 2019, Verizon and the Borough of Bath executed a lease agreement to install the cell tower. By November 14, 2019, the cell tower was constructed. It would take several more months for Verizon to locate their antennas on the new tower. Residents and area wireless users now have greater cell phone coverage than before. And Bath taxpayers benefit from the increased revenue the cell tower lease provides.
