County Criticized for Lack of Communication Over Cell Tower
Two Southeast Town Board members last week criticized Putnam County for a lack of transparency about a cell tower being proposed in town.
The tower is being proposed for the county-owned Kern Building, located at 1 Geneva Rd. in Brewster, which houses, among other things, the county Department of Health.
Deputy County Executive Bruce Walker told the town board on Jan. 19 the cell tower would “basically fill the gaps” in radio frequencies for cell phone users. The tower was needed for the county sheriff’s office and other first responders in emergencies, as well as other cell phone users, Walker said.
The county has received a grant from the federal Department of Homeland Security for the project to install cell towers in Putnam, Walker said.
The county signed a contract with Homeland Towers on Jan. 18 to have a partnership for the tower, Walker said.
Supervisor Tony Hay said he wanted the county to provide with information about the cell tower earlier in the process. Hay said he was concerned with the height of the tower, which would be 180-feet-tall.
Walker responded the height of the tower was needed to allow for “point to point communication.”
Hay again told Walker the county should have had better informed about the proposed towers with Walker conceding that there should be better communication on behalf of the county.
Councilwoman Lynne Eckardt said she was troubled by the height of the proposed cell tower. She asked Walker about the county’s other potential locations for cell towers. Walker said the county was planning constructing cell towers in Mahopac and Putnam Valley and was exploring a place in Philipstown among three private parcels.
Eckardt said the county needs to do a better job telling town officials when it was planning a project for Southeast.
“The town board wants to be involved,” she said.
Councilman Robert Cullen said he understood that new cell towers were needed to improve cell phone communication.
“I don’t have a problem with it,’ he said.
Photo caption one: Putnam County Deputy County Executive Bruce Walker addressed the Southeast Town Board on Jan. 19.
