News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
The City of Sisters signed off on a lease to allow a 120-foot cell phone tower in Sisters -- but the company that sought the lease may reject it.
SpectraSite, a tower building company affiliated with Sprint, "feels the terms should be should be more favorable for the 'excessive' rent the city is requesting," according to Ladd Wiles, a telecommunications and legal consultant working on behalf of SpectraSite.
The city is charging $1,500 per month for the site located at the sewer treatment plant. SpectraSite is reportedly unhappy that the city will charge additional rent to any other providers that "co-locate" on the tower.
The company is also concerned about the termination clause in the lease agreement, which company lawyers say allows the agreement to "(become) a five year lease at the city's discretion... SpectraSite wants long-term site security for their investment," according to Wiles.
The city council declined to make any changes in the lease to accommodate the tower provider.
"If they don't want to do business here on our terms, there's always somewhere else, I'm sure," said Mayor Steve Wilson.
Wilson also noted that revenue from the tower will be earmarked to offset sewer costs, possibly reducing monthly rates for residents.
City attorney Steve Bryant speculated that the company's reluctance to sign the lease might be "legal posturing," a possibility that Wiles acknowledged.
"If they (SpectraSite's legal department) want to make an unfavorable recommendation, that's up to them," Wiles said. "They also really want to build a tower here."
The debate over the tower has gone on for many months. City councilors and staff initially believed the city was required by the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 to accommodate cell towers.
The city hired a consulting firm, Krienes & Krienes of Tiburon, California, to explain the city's legal duties and options. Consultant Ted Krienes explained that cities have wide latitude to set standards and zoning for cell towers. He also encouraged the city to charge a rental fee that reflects the real value of the site.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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