Cell Towers and Antennas, Can T-Mobile Do This to Your Community Too?
Thursday, December 20th, 2007
As I lay awake another night at 2 a.m. with Christmas around the corner, my children fighting a brutal stomach virus, what do you think is on my mind? T-Mobile! How can I stop them from putting a cell tower only 180 feet from my family? This is the overriding thought that has been in my head since October 18th when my Hopewell Township Committee granted T-Mobile a variance and permission to transform a harmless, non-radiating water tower into a cell tower. It has consumed me and many of my neighbors too. This is the “T-Mobile Impact” and it affects me on a daily basis.
Loopholes We Shouldn’t Have to Live With
I cannot fathom that due to an ordinance with a loophole encouraging cell providers to co-locate on existing structures (no matter where or how close they are located to human beings) that soon our community will be living under constant radiation. Yes, it may be at a low level, but it’s constant. Can anyone guarantee that there is no chance of our families being physically, mentally and emotionally affected by this? No! So what percent are we willing to live with 10%, 8%, 5%, 3%? What percent will give us peace of mind? Right now the water tower gives 0% chance of harm to our community, and that’s what we deserve.
Patrick Lamb from T-Mobile
Who can help us rectify this situation? We have met with Patrick Lamb of T-Mobile, he listens very well, gives little rays of hope and then takes them away in the same breath. Why can’t he realize that a community of potential customers would be so much more grateful to a business that sometimes cares more about people the bottom line.
Trenton Water Works Failed
How about Trenton Water works? We are their customers too. Is it worth giving so many people access to our water supply? What kind of background checks are being done on people who would have access to the tower? Is the $24,000 a year worth crushing property values of their customers? Putting customers at potential risk? Could they possibly have a heart? American Water, who is buying the property, frowns on attaching cell equipment to their structures. They don’t want to upset their customers! Wow, what a novel concept!
Our Hopewell Township Committee
Lastly, how about our Hopewell Township Committee!? The mayor and township engineer have been working with us tirelessly, but we need more. We need the rest of the committee to step up, bring their A game. Amend the ordinance to protect us. They represent us!
The one glimmer of hope or goodness in this whole mess is the unbelievable backing of our community. We filled the town hall with families to let T-Mobile and the township committee know that we need help and that we don’t want our community to be part of an involuntary health and real estate study!
So, can this happen in your community…you better check your ordinance! I think you will be surprised!
I still have hope that T-Mobile will do the right thing! They should take their time find a spot that meets their goals and is not in the most densely populated part of Hopewell. I’d love to see how many cell towers or antennas are in Mr. Lamb’s neighborhood…
Lisa
