District considers allowing cell tower atop FHS

Kalispell Public Schools is holding a public comment period through May 11 on a proposal from Verizon Wireless to have a cell tower installed atop Flathead High School.

Verizon is asking for the school district’s permission to install, maintain and operate “communications equipment” — currently a cell tower — in a five-year building and rooftop lease agreement that would begin July 1 if approved by the school board.

“Where the tower would be placed [on the high school] is being torn down and replaced, so we’re a little ways out to actually making this happen,” said Gwyn Andersen, district director of business services.

The proposed contract would automatically be extended for four additional five-year terms if it is not terminated by Verizon.

If approved, Verizon would be responsible for the construction costs of building the cell tower in addition to paying the school district $1,700 in monthly rent ­— a total of $20,400 annually. The money would go into the high school district budget.

“I think we really understand the need for something that generates revenue. If that could help our high school budget, then we need to seriously consider it,” said Flathead High School Principal Michele Paine during an April 10 board meeting.

A “balloon test” still needs to be conducted in coordination with the city of Kalispell to check height and visibility of the proposed cell tower. Kalispell Public Schools Superintendent Mark Flatau said the intention is that the tower will not be visible from ground level. Paine said the structural drawings of the cell-tower placement on the high school are reassuring.

“I think we all have the image of a giant tower coming up, but if you look at the drawings and the design and what they’re using — the faux brick — it’s really going to blend in and be unobtrusive, based on the graphics we have,” Paine said.

Andersen said the school district was approached nearly a year ago with the proposal, but it’s not the first time Verizon made a similar pitch.

“They had been to the school district a few years before that with the same request and it didn’t come to fruition, so they’re checking back in to see if we had any interest,” Andersen said.

Andersen and Paine noted that there have already been a few concerns raised from community members and staff about placing a tower on the high school.

“Many people are informally researching the effects of cell towers,” Paine said. “It will be interesting to see the feedback during the public comment period.”

Kalispell resident Kay Walker is a concerned resident who lives a couple of blocks from the high school. Walker is helping circulate a petition requesting the school board reject the proposal as part of the “Committee for Responsible Information on the Health of Children and Cell Tower Exposure.”

Walker said the committee’s primary concern is related to the potential health and environmental effects of exposure to microwave or radio-frequency radiation emitted by cell towers. She said the group is also concerned about safety and property value impacts.

“It’s not as black and white as people think,” Walker said.

Public comments on the proposed cell tower may be emailed to the school district at kornickb@sd5.k12.mt.us; or mailed to Beth Kornick, 233 First Ave E., Kalispell, MT 59901.

For more information visit http://www.sd5.k12.mt.us.

The school board may vote on the proposal at a school board meeting at 6 p.m. May 15 in the Kalispell Middle School library.

Reporter Hilary Matheson may be reached at 758-4431 or hmatheson@dailyinterlake.com.