Chittick cell tower radiates controversy
Council reacts to
residents’ criticism; seeks bids to test tower’s emissions
Jeff Huntley The Cellular One tower, erected in 1991 along Old Bridge Turnpike, East Brunswick, is too close to Chittick School, according to some residents, who fear it may emit harmful radiation.
East Brunswick residents demanding that the cellular tower next to Chittick School be taken down rallied at Monday night’s Township Council meeting.
Mayor Bill Neary started the discussion off with a speech, in which he addressed the allegations recently made by an anonymous person in the community.
An unidentified resident has been stuffing fliers in mailboxes throughout the township for the past week in an effort to spark controversy over the long-standing Cellular One tower located next to Chittick School at Old Bridge Turnpike and Main Street.
These unsigned fliers, said Neary, were nothing more than a cowardly attempt to insinuate some type of conspiracy among this council.
"I signed my letter to you," said Neary. "This council has nothing to hide and we can assure you that your concerns are being taken seriously."
"This is not an issue that anyone in this room isn’t concerned by. The health and safety of your children is of utmost importance to this administration," he said.
Concerns over possible radiation emanating from the tower and its close proximity to Chittick School were first brought up during the Oct. 2 council meeting.
At that time, resident Curt Rollins approached council members asking them to look into the matter, which they unanimously agreed to.
Yet despite officials’ willingness to work with the residents, some of the more impatient members in the community have continued to attack the mayor and council, criticizing the way the situation was handled from the start.
"This structure was built in 1991 under false pretenses," said Rollins. "The [Chittick Cell] tower was supposedly built to replace a CB tower already in place there since 1977, yet never obtained any zoning permits to do so."
Rollins also expressed his concern over the close proximity of the tower to Chittick School, which is less than the 1,000 feet required by municipal law today.
"One thing cannot be denied and that is the fact that this tower has existed for decades. And it did, in fact, replace an old CB tower and antennas were added," said Neary.
"What is also true, and important to note, is that this was all done prior to the inception of any local ordinance governing cellular towers and therefore did not require Planning or Zoning Board approval," he added.
"Whatever permits were required at that time were applied for and issued."
Neary also confirmed that two separate tests on the safety of the electromagnetic transmission from that tower were performed in 1991. Those tests found no evidence of adverse EMF being transmitted.
"I find it very sad that any of you would stand in front of us and say that we’re not cooperating, when we’ve been extremely sympathetic to your concerns from the start," said Council President Meryle Asaro.
"We have taken you at face value and instructed this council to act accordingly."
"You’re voicing suspicions over the 1991 construction of this tower and, thus, should be directing those suspicions at the 1991 staff instead of us," added Asaro. "Not one of us was in office back then."
Asaro also reiterated that it was when Mayor Bill Neary was a councilman in 1996 that he single-handedly passed an ordinance mandating that all cellular towers be no less than 1,000 feet away from residential areas.
"Indeed, the 1,000 foot buffer was my idea. Therefore, by saying that this council does not share your concerns is just not right," said Neary. "We need to put the past behind us and move forward on this matter, which we are trying to do with your cooperation.
"We need and want to work together on this in order to be effective."
Township attorney Mike Baker reported on the legal steps the council has taken in investigating the safety of the tower.
All steps led to a court hearing scheduled for yesterday afternoon, during which the township would petition for an injunction against Cellular One requiring a cease and assist on operation of the tower.
"We are arguing the request on the grounds that Cellular One has failed to present [the township] with proper documentation for the most recent addition of three antennas to the tower," said Baker. "As a result, township engineers have not yet had the opportunity to investigate."
Baker also added that the council is in the process of seeking bids from outside companies to test the tower’s emissions.
"We will hopefully have that testing done within the next two weeks and the results approximately three days after that," he said.
The testing costs about $8,000 and will be paid for out of the municipal budget.
"We feel this is important enough for us to take care of without burdening you [the taxpayers]," added Asaro. "We are happy to do it."
But another resident, a school teacher living on Devin Drive, suggested temporarily moving the children out of Chittick School and into annexes, or else other districts, such as South River and Old Bridge, until testing is completed and the tower deemed harmless.
"We can’t take any chances. Hindsight is 20/20," she said.
"If moving our kids is not a feasible solution, then why not build a lead wall as high as the tower? That is the only way to block potentially harmful rays."
Relocating students, however, is not a matter for the council to decide, responded Asaro.
"The Board of Education is their own entity according to municipal law. We can not govern their decisions. and so that is something you’d need to address with them," she added.
"As far as your suggestion for a wall, I’m no engineer but I would think we’ll have the test results sooner than the time it would take to build a structure of that size."
As of press time yesterday, no verdict had been reached with regard to the township’s petition for a cease and assist order.
By the meeting’s close, most residents appeared to be fairly confident in the council’s intentions to resolve the problem.
The mayor introduced a resolution calling for the delivery of a signed resident petition to Trenton.
"Perhaps the most effective way to expedite things is to call your congressmen," said Asaro. "Call [U.S. Rep.] Rush Holt [D], [Sen.] Frank Lautenberg [D], and [Sen.] Robert Toricelli [D]. Let them know you’re fed up and not going to stand by on this."

