Residents in the Bethlehem School District are hoping demonstrations like one they held Sunday will force the town board to abandon plans to build a cell tower near Eagle Elementary School and the High School.“We feel that there is strong opposition to the tower but the town is ignoring our concerns and questions,” explained Kim Strosahl, who has an 8-year-old in the Bethlehem schools.
A group called "Parents Against Cell Towers" says the plan would put a mono pine cell tower on private land less than 1,500 feet from both schools.
“The main concern is that there is no concern for the elementary school students here who would be bombarded by electromagnetic fields on a daily basis,” Strosahl said.
Other residents, like Alex Yatsevitch, disagree. “There are federal limits on all of these things and as long as the guidelines are followed, I don't think anyone has much to say about it,” Yatsevitch said.
This is the second round of controversy surrounding cell towers in the area. Back in 2009 the school district abandoned plans to build towers on school property after facing major opposition.
The group is using similar arguments this time around, citing studies that claim daily exposure to the tower's radiation can pose a serious health hazard.
And now, even the kids are wary.
“We don't exactly know what this radiation will do to us children since our bodies haven't finished being exposed to this radiation,” explained seventh grader Maya Martinez, “It’s unnatural.”
The group is giving out red "warning" balloons to raise awareness about the plan, hoping the town board will consider these concerns at its meeting on Tuesday.
“They've looked into all these other arrangements but they've never looked into moving it farther away for our families,” explained Delmar resident David Decancio.
The town board is expected to vote on the construction of the tower on Tuesday night.
