Politics & Government

Public Hearing Monday on Pocono Road Cell Tower

Hearing Monday night on lease agreement for proposed cell tower behind Pocono Road fire station.

The Board of Selectmen (BOS) is holding a public hearing Monday night before their regular meeting to get input on a proposed lease agreement for a cell tower to be built behind the Brookfield Fire Department on Pocono Road.

The agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities of both the town as the landlord and Homeland Towers, the company contracting to build and maintain the tower, including selling space to communications companies.

If approved, the cell tower would be built on a small open patch on the southwest corner of the parking lot behind the fire station.
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Download the full agreement above ahead of the public hearing, set for 7 p.m. Monday in the high school media center.
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The lease agreement sets monthly rent starting at either $1,800 or 25 percent of gross income from the tower (see section 5c of the agreement for more on gross income), whichever is greater.

The base rent is also set to increase to $2,000 once a second carrier places equipment on the tower and increase 3 percent annually.

The “second carrier” does not include the town’s emergency services — police, fire and EMS — which will have a place on the tower free of charge.

Along with rent, maintenance and other terms of the agreement, the contract also includes a stipulation that allows the town to buy the tower for $1, under certain circumstances.

The agreement states that Homeland Towers (or the lessee) can take the tower equipment with them if they discontinue the lease but they are not required to. If the equipment is left behind for 90 days, the town has the option to purchase it for a dollar.


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