Cell tower hangs in the balance

STILLWATER — Ken Bradley isn't giving up. He lives on Little Swartswood Lake in Hampton and tirelessly continues to post signs alerting the public to meetings, update the website of the No Swartswood Tower coalition, and gather funds to hire an attorney to keep what he has referred to as a "monstrosity" from going up in his back yard. On Monday night, the fourth meeting addressing the construction of a 150-foot tall Nextel cell tower behind the Swartswood Fire House was held at The Stillwater Township Elementary School. In the wake of severe flooding in the area which included Route 622, the very road off of which the tower is proposed to be constructed, the coalition against the construction of the tower finally got some good news. Peter Steck, a planning consultant, testified that such a tower would be inappropriate for the area and said such a tower would mar the area's scenic nature and would be in violation of local ordinances. Nextel would be leasing the land behind the Swartswood Volunteer Fire Department on which the proposed tower would be constructed, and debates ensued regarding the revenue that the lease agreement would generate and its appropriation. Construction of the tower still hangs in the balance with the next meeting set for October 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the Stillwater Township Elementary School.