CITY COMMISSION MEETS
20 JANUARY 2015
ONLY THREE COMMISSIONERS PRESENT
. . . A QUORUM
The Cedar Key City Commission met on Tuesday, January 20, 2015, at 6pm at City Hall. In attendance were Mayor Dale Register and Commissioners Tina Ryan and Royce Nelson. Vice Mayor Sue Colson and Commissioner Nettie Hodges were absent.
All staff members were present.
CELL TOWER SPARKS CONTROVERSY
“I’LL SUE CEDAR KEY”
No sooner had the Pledge of Allegiance and the prayer been said and the Public Comment section of the agenda opened, Bob Kay, who introduced himself as a Florida resident and a ten-year Cedar Key resident, announced that if the City of Cedar Key approved the erection of a cell tower here on the island, he would necessarily have to leave the area for health reasons. He further announced that he would sue the city. “A microwave is a carcinogen,” said he.
PUBLIC COMMENT
IS LIMITED IN CEDAR KEY
Mayor Dale Register responded to Kay, saying that speakers on the “public comment” section of the city agenda were, indeed, limited, citing Resolution 352, passed on January 7, 2014. The resolution states in Section 3, Specific Rules, subsection (b), “An individual shall be allowed four (4) minutes for public comment on a specific matter or a general matter, provided that the presiding officer may allow additional time at his/her discretion.”
Register requested that if individuals wanted to make a presentation, they should ask to be placed on the agenda as a separate item.
Kay explained that he had approached the city with written information and a DVD explaining the health hazards of cell towers and that he was rebuffed on several occasions by city reception staff and Police Chief Sandlin.
AMERICAN TOWER REPORTS
American Tower’s Jeff Pilgrim reported that he met with federal authorities regarding the 138-foot allowable height for the proposed tower explain that the only way to get a higher limit was to “change the horizontal surface of the airport.”
Pilgrim reported on the previously agreed upon sites considering their “constructability”:
- Sandra Street location is far too wet.
- Anchor Hole is buildable, is a mile away from the desired center of town, and has residences nearby.
- Cemetery Point Park is again a mile away, and a problem regarding how to get construction equipment into the area.
- Behind City Hall is buildable and the best place.
- Behind the Market could work
- Shell Pile location got “pushback from the carriers.”
- Park Street location is buildable and would require some temporary work with power lines.
- Third and A Streets
- Third and D Streets (across the Market)
- Behind City Hall
- Park Street, next to the Blue Marina
Commissioner Ryan stated that “we keep going on and on about this idea” and expressed the desire to select several sites in priority order, give them to Pilgrim, and urge him to move forward.
Commissioner Nelson said that he believed as prior Commissioner Vanessa Edmonds did: we need no cell tower.
CELL TOWER AGENDA ITEM
PROVOKES MANY A VOCAL RESIDENT…FOR AND AGAINST
RYAN SAYS…ON WITH IT
NELSON SAYS…DON’T NEED A CELLTOWER
REGISTER…SENDS CARRIER OUT FOR MORE INFORMATION
RESIDENTS …SPLIT
Mr. Kay explained that much data are available on the issue of cell towers and cancer. He urged the commission to watch the video he provided and to invite the public tow watch it with them.
Gayle, who offered no last name, was most vocal on the issue. She restated the availability of factual information readily available to everyone; further urged a public meeting to watch the video; made the case for our health damage and responsibility to grandchildren.
Register responded to the speakers saying, “We have to deal with facts.”
Part-time resident Anne Walker, a self-articulated three-time cancer survivor, urged that, “if you must build it, deep it away from residents.”
Commissioner Ryan articulated the concern that without cell activity, people are not able to get help in times of emergency. Many residents are older and many live alone and need a reliable communication system. Tourists, likewise, need to connect with family and businesses. She also noted that young people will not do without their ipads.
RESOLUTION…FOR NOW
Pilgrim was sent back to further investigate whether he can sell the following four location to the carriers:
He will report back to the commission on February 17, 2015.
OTHER BUSINESS
LOCAL PLANNING AGENCY
Resident Heath Davis reported that the Cedar Key LPA has met, elected him as chair and Dennis Gill as Vice Chair, and been presented with two lists of issues, one from Attorney Norm Fugate and the other from Building Department Manager Robert Robinson.
Register asked that the LPA consider submitting an activity report regularly.
BRIDGE PLANS NOT READY YET
Register reported that the Florida Department of Transportation personnel were “not ready to come” to present their plans, as was scheduled on the city agenda. “Probably, February 3,” reported Register.
Editor’s Note: In a recent email from the FDOT to the Cedar Key News, it was stated that after the next appearance of the FDOT before the City Commission, the FDOT is “scheduling another public open house type meeting.”
ARMY IN CEDAR KEY
After five minutes of input from almost every on the room, the mission of the Army’s visit to Cedar Key on January 23 and 24 was revealed. When disasters happen on foreign soils, this group of Army individuals arrive at these unfortunate places, study the terrain, meet with those charged with reviving the community, and assist them in doing just that. They selected Cedar Key as a location for a training exercise.
FLOOD INSURANCE RENEWED
Commissioners unanimously renewed flood insurance for City Hall and the Library.
Next City Commission meeting will be on 3 February 2015
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