Cell tower proposed for borough garage Council would likely rezone area to permit use if plan moves forward

Correspondent

By sherry conohan

Cell tower proposed
for borough garage
Council would likely rezone area to permit use
if plan moves forward

LITTLE SILVER — The Borough Council is considering a request from Nextel to erect a cell tower at the borough public works garage on Fairview Avenue. The proposal came up at the workshop meeting last week but was not placed on the agenda for the council’s regular meeting on Monday.

The council previously identified the garage property, by resolution, as a potential site for a mobile radio tower.

If it chooses to move forward with the proposal, the council will likely change the zoning for the site to permit its use for a cell tower. Currently, the garage is located in area zoned I-1 for light industrial uses.

The request of Nextel, which is being represented by Edwards and Kelcey of Morristown, an engineering firm serving it as a consultant, was then referred to Borough Attorney John O. Bennett III to review.

At last week’s workshop meeting, the council reviewed a letter from Edwards and Kelsey explaining that the installation would involve mounting 12-panel antennas on the proposed tower. It said these antennas would be attached by coaxial cables to the mobile radio equipment, which would be housed in a prefabricated shelter, about 10 feet by 20 feet, adjacent to the tower. This letter was referred to the borough engineer.

At Tuesday’s regular council meeting, the governing body approved the expenditure of $234,244 for the 2001 road improvement program. The council awarded a contract for the work to S. Brothers Inc., of South River, the lowest of three bidders. The other bids were $241,185 from Lucas Brothers, of the Morganville section of Marlboro, and $245,944 from Little Rascals Concrete Co., of South River.

Streets to be repaved under the program include Pine Drive, Silverwhite Road, Circle Lane and Conover Place.

The council also approved the expenditure of $4,200 to repair a drainage pipe and associated sinkhole on the Markham Place Fields. The work already had been done, on an emergency basis, before the council voted because the sinkhole was considered a hazard. "I was worried about someone falling in the hole,’’ Borough Administrator Michael D. Biehl told the council.

The contract for the work, based on a quote obtained by the borough engineer, went to Don Siegel Construction Co. Inc., of Manasquan.

The price has gone up on the archaeological dig at the Parker Homestead from $4,800 to $12,980; the council amended a contract it just awarded July 2 for an archaeological investigator. In an effort to positively date the house, believed to have been built in 1667, the number of test holes increased from 13 to 37.

Mayor Suzanne S. Castleman said it was important to pin down the date, because if the 1667 date can be proved, it will mean more money will be coming in for the restoration of the house. She said while the additional money is borough money, it’s not tax funds, but is coming from donations and other revenue sources.

The contract for the archaeological work is held by Gannett Fleming Inc., of Hammonton. The investigator on the project is Richard Beit, a professor at Monmouth University.

The council gave its approval to an agreement with the Cheshire Square Condominium Association, under which the borough will pay the association $4,434.37 in lieu of providing snow plowing and street lighting for the calendar year 2001. This is slightly more than last year.

The borough provides and will continue to provide garbage, leaf and branch collection.

Finally, the council decided to stay out of the feud between Monmouth County and Wall Township over the county’s proposal to buy Monmouth Executive Airport in Wall, formerly Allaire Airport.

The council had received a resolution from Wall, asking that it go on record as opposing a purchase by the county. Councilman Declan O’Scanlon suggested at the workshop meeting that the borough steer clear of the fray and the mayor readily agreed. "Let’s stay out of it," Castleman said, and the matter was dropped.