INSIDE

Parks board still pondering cell tower

While a cell phone tower on parks lands is still being described as “a long way from any final agreements” by board member Irene Waters, the board has heard their first opposition to the proposal.

At the June 1 meeting of the Point Roberts Parks and Recreation District local resident John Hammell said he and other residents had several concerns about the parks district leasing land to Verizon Wireless to put a cell phone transmission tower on land near Baker Field. “One is a safety concern but there are others,” Hammell said, adding political reasons to fear that there were health risks associated with electromagnetic waves that carry cellular telephone signals. “There should be a public forum where all sides of the issue are heard and debated,” he said.

Board member Linda Hughes thanked Hammell for bringing his concerns, along with volumes of documentation and articles on the dangers of cell phone use. “There are plenty of articles and we should consider it all carefully,” she said, adding there was the opposing viewpoint to consider as well, those who think safety concerns are overblown and would value the convenience and possible safety benefits of improved reception for Point Roberts. “If we allow this to become a tsunami against cell phone towers tonight I’m sure you could provide it but if there is one point of view presented there should at least be two,” Hughes said.

Waters said that in the event the board considers a contract with Verizon there would be a public awareness process. “When this moves further along there will be a public hearing,” she said.