Cell phone towers could ring up cash for schools

Monday, Feb. 23, 2004 | 11:11 a.m.

Clark County School District officials want to lease space on playing fields for cellular phone towers, a proposal that could yield a tidy sum of money.

The cellular phone towers would likely be placed on existing playing field light poles or fenced equipment buildings, said Walt Rulffes, deputy superintendent of operations for the district. There would be no advertising attached to the towers.

"It's unused space and the (towers) wouldn't interfere in any way with student activities," Rulffes said. "It's unlikely anyone would even notice (the towers) were there."

The district could receive as much as $1,500 per month per transmitter for the leases, Rulffes said. Such contracts have become common nationwide not only for school districts but for other public entities and even churches.

"Some places have the towers disguised as little steeples," Rulffes said.

In Oahu, Hawaii, a local elementary school receives $1,100 a month for allowing a cell phone tower on its property. Districts in Michigan, Florida and other states have made similar deals.

The district could earn $594,000 a year by leasing a tower site at each of its 33 high schools.

If the Clark County School Board gives its approval Thursday, Rulffes said, he will go ahead with plans to meet with representatives from cellular phone companies.

In addition to a monthly leasing fee there's also a potential for reduced-cost cellular phone service for district employees, Rulffes said.

Last summer, at the height of the legislative budget crisis, the district terminated its policy of providing free cellular phone service to most administrators and replaced the contracts with a small monthly stipend.

Citing the potential risk of radiation exposure, parent groups in numerous states have fought the leasing of space at schools for the towers. The Environmental Protection Agency claims the risk is minimal and that radio and television transmissions are actually at a higher power level than cellular phone frequencies.

Bob Hall, founder of the Nevada Environmental Coalition, said health concerns about cell phone towers have been abated somewhat in recent years as the frequencies for the devices have decreased.

"In general I wouldn't have too much of a problem with (towers at the schools) but I'd want to see the district's exact plan," Hall said.

Clark County School Board President Susan Brager-Wellman said provided the towers would not pose a risk to students or staff she would likely support the proposal.

"I think it would be great if we could turn empty space into revenue for our schools," Brager-Wellman said.