Cell tower causes stir

West Memphis council split on new tower on east end of city

By JOHN RECH

news@theeveningtimes.com

Another proposed cell tower site in West Memphis raised commotion from city council before finally being approved. Councilman Lorraine Mohammed raised objections and led a successful vote to nix the special use permit halting the project. Mohammed recanted her vote when pressed by Vertical Tower to provide a legitimate reason for her rejection and the measure ultimately passed but not before Mayor Marco McClendon promised to break a tie vote in favor of the tower.

Councilwoman Melanie Hutchinson passed on both votes and in the inquired about circumventing federal law with a local moratorium on communication towers. This was Vertical Tower’s second request for a variance to put up a tower along Interstate 40 in West Memphis. The company recently built one on the lot at Cornerstone Baptist Church off Balfour which also met vociferous opposition before being approved.

Mohammed complained the tower was unwanted and unneeded in her Ward 4. The company representative Tracy Gill responded technical surveys indicating poorer service on the northeast side of the city now and presumed increasing data demands when construction at Southland Casino finished.

“I’m not totally against cell phone towers but I am getting complaints,” said Mohammed.

The towers are used so much more now than just our wireless phones,” said Gill. “We don’t even say wireless phones anymore, it’s wireless devices. The more and more uses for wireless the more demand their is for channel sites are needed.

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Mohammed pressed the need for another tower.

Gill said if more towers formed the concern, this tower was designed for four carriers thereby reducing the demand for some more 150 monopoles along the Interstate.

“I’ve listened to your meeting, you’re talking about growth in the city,” said Gill. “This is infrastructure. Most new small businesses don’t have phones or anything wired anymore. Businesses can’t open if they dont have access to data.”

The initial vote failed on three yeses, four passes and three no votes from council.

Gill pressed Mohammed for a legal reason for here negative vote.

“It’s complaints from my constituents,” said Mohamed. “The tower we have on East Broadway is unkempt.”

The city attorney advised Mohammed and the dissenters they’d be subject to deposition under federal law about the reason for rejecting the special use permit.

With that Mohamed announced she’d _ip her vote.

“For Southland and growth,” said Mohammed.

Seven city council members then voted in favor negating the need for the mayor to intercede with a tie-breaking vote. Melanie Hutchinson, James Holt and Charles Wheeless remained opposed as the special use permit passed.

City attorney Michael Stephenson answered Hutchinson’s quest for a communication tower moratorium in the city.

“I’d advise you not to do anything against federal law,” said Stephenson. “If you want to have something brought up it should come through our planning boards.”