North Hanover and Burlington County have agreed to share revenue generated from a jointly built cellular tower.
By: Eve Collins
NORTH HANOVER Township officials have entered into a interlocal services agreement with the county to build an emergency services communications tower on township property near the municipal complex on Schoolhouse Road.
The contract was ratified by the Township Committee April 7, Mayor John Kocubinski said.
The county will pay for the estimated $500,000 cost of constructing a 186-foot tower and share space on it with the township.
"In government, there is nothing wrong with finding new revenue streams," Mayor Kocubinski said at the committee’s meeting April 17.
Township officials have said they need to find new ways of generating revenue because of the municipality’s aggressive approach to farmland preservation, which has limited the amount of developable property in the township.
Four to eight wireless companies will lease space on the tower and the revenue will be split by the township and county, township officials said, with the township receiving 60 percent of that revenue.
"This will generate several hundred thousand dollars a year," Mayor Kocubinski said.
The initial agreement is for 10 years, with the option to renew for four more 10-year periods, for a total of 50 years, township officials said.
Officials have spent three years on the tower project, which began in late 2000. The North Hanover project will be part of 17-tower, countywide network. The system handles radio dispatch services for fire and emergency squads, as well as police departments.
The 17 locations were needed to address the communications problems among emergency services workers throughout the county, officials have said.
Officials have said they hope to have the new tower completed this summer. Only one other site in the system is brand new. A few other sites in the county are receiving modifications, including the installation of equipment shelters.

