A long-needed cellular telephone tower has been approved for the Seckman schools campus in Imperial.
The Jefferson County Council voted unanimously March 23 to approve a conditional-use permit to allow TowerCo 2013 LLC to build a 155-foot tower at Seckman High School, 2800 Seckman Road.
The meeting was held by telephone conference call after an executive order was issued prohibiting public assemblies of more than 10 people.
At a Feb. 13 public hearing on the matter before the Jefferson County Planning Commission, no one spoke against issuing the permit.
The planning board voted 8-0 to recommend approval of the request. The County Commission has the authority on planning and zoning issues in unincorporated parts of the county.
Matt Schlicter of Cealus Solutions of St. Louis, who represented TowerCo at the Feb. 13 hearing, said the tower will be a monopole. “It will be a single pole of the variety you see all over the place,” he said. “It will have no guy wires (for support) and it will be enclosed by a 6-foot fence with security measures at the top so no one can get to the tower.”
Schlicter said the tower will be designed so carriers other than Verizon Wireless may use it to boost signals. He said TowerCo was particularly interested in the Seckman campus because it is in a valley, leading to spotty cell phone service in the area.
Seckman campus staff members and students have long complained about not being able to use cell phones at the schools.
“Half of the U.S. doesn’t have a land line (telephone) anymore, so people are relying on their cell phones to make emergency calls. This tower will help enhance that situation,” Schlicter said.
“There is a need for improved coverage in this area,” he added. “Our research shows most of the usage for cellular signals is for data. Everyone has smartphones, tablets, watches and other devices that use data. There is not as much demand for voice services as there used to be.”
The tower will be situated near a parking lot behind the middle and elementary schools on the Seckman campus, which takes in almost 100 acres.
The lease calls for TowerCo to pay the district a $1,500 signing bonus and $1,000 rent for each month over the first five years. The rent increases by 8 percent each month for each five-year term after that.