T-Mobile Gets Approval to Add Antennas

T-Mobile has been given the go-ahead to erect nine antennas on a monopole structure in Forks Township.

With a 3-1-1 vote, the township Board of Supervisors approved the installation by the cellular service provider at 3515 Glover Road. Supervisor C. David Howell voted against the installation, saying he was not satisfied with the engineering report.

Supervisor Lilly Gioia abstained from the vote, saying she was a shareholder for Verizon.

Last month, township officials delayed approving the application, instead asking that a T-Mobile engineer appear before the board to answer additional questions.

During last night’s meeting, however, the engineer was not present. An attorney representing the cellular giant who was at the meeting, Mike Grab, said the engineer was not on hand because the cellular company had met all requirements for the application. Additionally, a geological study had been done by T-Mobile to ensure that the surrounding area of the monopole was structurally safe.

“It is not in their [T-Mobile] interest candidly to put their equipment on something that is going to fail,” said Grab.

Several cellular companies already have antennas on the monopoles that were originally used for radio transmissions.

Jim Lawless, owner of Rite-Track Corp., a business at 3601 Glover Road, has voiced concerns on several occasions about the monopole falling with so many antennas attached. Lawless is an instrumentation, design and mechanical electrical expert.

“Most of these cell towers fail, antenna acting as a sail,” said Lawless. “If the wind sustains at resonant frequency for a minute or two, it will cause a cell tower to come down.”

The cellular provider will have to submit annual reports to the township on the structural integrity of the monopole.

“I’m doing this for legal cover; if this thing comes down and kills someone it’s on the public record,” said Lawless.