Topic Of Cell Tower Funds Leads To Discussion Of Park Board’s Plans

During city administrator Martin Toma’s report at last Thursday’s Ste. Genevieve Board of Aldermen meeting, the planned AT&T cell tower in Pere Marquette sparked some discussion.

Toma urged new Ward 4 Alderwoman Ashley Armbruster, who is the board’s liaison to the park board, to report on the issue.

Armbruster repeated the park board’s previous desire to see the $950 monthly payment for the option to construct the tower to go directly to the park budget, since the tower impacts the main city park.

A one-time $3,500 payment is also being made by AT&T for landscaping around the tower. Toma said that there is “no obligation” for the city to do the landscaping. That $3,500, he said, could be used for park projects other than landscaping, if desired.

“Even at the end of next year, we don’t know that they’re going to put up a tower,” Toma said. “They don’t have to. They’re paying us for an option.”

Armbruster told the aldermen about the park board accepting an offer from Donze Park Planning LLC to create a master parks plan. [See related story.]

“It will basically be a goal for the park board to work toward as they make the changes and improvements and add new features or maybe the features we have aren’t functioning,” Armbruster said. “But, it wouldn’t be just miscellaneously placing items where they fit. It would be an efficient and an effective way for people to use the parks more.”

She suggested that the offer was “too good to pass up.”

A survey is being developed to get public input.

See complete story in the March 4 edition of the Herald.