Good morning. I read the article in the Oakland Press regarding the proposed tower. I had similar issues a few years back in respect to a
cell tower the city of Rochester hills allowed to be put up 150 feet from my lot line. If I remember correctly the cell company sweetened the deal by allowing the city to use the tower for emergency communications....why can't they just use the already existing nearby cell
tower? I'm sure they could somehow tie into that, perhaps you've already presented the idea, I just know how frustrating it feels.

good luck,
Deb Wren

please go to http://www.energyfields.org

this is not something anyone would want in their community. the potential
damage to the community health is still uncertain.

- Clint Cherney

I agree with you Rita, this is an outrage.

I think with the most recent 'gas line explosion' last night, we've just proved that the safety of the citizens was not compromised. In fact, communication was fabulous.
So, why do we need the tower,....hmmmmm, I think it's more for the future 'cell phone providers' that the board 'slipped' in at the end of their approval 'vote'...(dictatorship)

I seriously think the channel seven problem solvers need to be involved. There is corrupt government in action, and a DEEP investigation needs to be conducted.
Was the original property 'willed' to the county?....was it requested to stay a park?
Who changed the ordinances behind closed doors to OK the building of the town hall in the first place..
Each of the present and past board members needs to be investigated.
Something is not right here.

I am also sorry to say, that I think we need a 'shark' of a lawyer.
Although our lawyer is a very knowledgeable and nice man, we need a shark, because in a sense we are asking him to deal with sharks.

Corrupt local government is newsworthy.

By reducing the height of the tower from 256' to 199' hasn't the township eliminated the coverage area right back to the pre-tower coverage we currently have. In the Eccentric Newspaper it noted the township currently has a dead coverage area of approx. 7 percent. Is it really necessary or worth the money to build a tower where residents don't want it to expand its coverage area by 2 percent???? It appears we are currently represented by total idiots? Come on officials......this is ridiculous!

- Patricia Thomas

At the last meeting there was great irony when the planning commission was talking about how they refrain from voting or input when
there is an issue that they have a vested interest in. They talked about how they leave the room, so there can be no influence.

But when the board of trustees met to decide on the location of the tower at Blue Heron, two members of the board who live right next to Blue Heron of which one is the supervisor of the board, voted against the tower. It seems to me that this is all lip service that they have made up their minds from the start that it was going to be at the Township Hall. How can they decide on this issue if they have a vested interest. This does not seem right. Of course they are going to vote against it.

Furthermore I can't believe that we do not have more time to find the right location for everyone. Miss Coates of CLEMIS is trying to strong arm the Township into thinking they have to decide right now. If they need this so bad, I can't believe they won't wait another few months.

What is the point of defacing our community this way!? This tower will be a total waste of money and land within a year, not to mention the depreciation our homes will be hit with. Obviously the Townships concerns are not with its citizens. This needs to be reevaluated now!

- Elsie Schimon

Comments: We already have a cell tower in Goodison. The benefits of a second tower couldn't possibly be that great, and the township certainly is not thinking about the people who have to live with it in their backyards. These towers are dangerous and seriously devalue our properties. There are far better places for it to be put. This has not been well thought out or planned. I am very disappointed with the leaders of this community.

- Rudolf Schimon

We already have a cell tower in Goodison and I feel a second tower would be absurd, since they are so closely spaced. It's never been a necessity up to this point. What is the dire need now?
There are far better locations for this tower, if it is in fact needed. It was recommended
that the intersection of Collins and Buell would be the most central location to the Township. The tower will be unsightly and devalue my property greatly.

This is a historical community and it should not be defaced by something so costly and unnecessary.

- Frederick Schimon

The  only  way  to  stop  this  flagrant  disregard  for  the  township  residents  is  to  let  these  self-serving   people
at  Township  Hall  know  that  there  will  be  consequences  for  their  actions ,  such  as  losing  their  jobs.
Could  someone  with  any  phone  lists,  addresses and e-mails  ON   ALL   PEOPLE  involved  in  this  greedy  financial  grab
please  post  the  info  on  this  web  site  so  we  can  bombard  these  people  and  get  their  attention.  Only  when  THEIR
lives  are  impacted  will  they  act  to  benefit  others ! ! ! ! !  

- Gary

I have been a resident of Oakland Township/Snell Rd. for thirty eight (38) years. I have seen farm field after farm field converted into subdivision after subdivision. The rural character/country charm of Oakland Township is virtually gone. Within ten years there will be no more open fields (with the exception of the Township Parks) to remind us of the true character and beauty of Oakland Township. The greed of developers and builders and the township board 'Rolling Over' on every development request will destroy what once was Oakland Township. We will have a city and might as well rename it Oakland! The population explosion has turned my quaint road into a crowded street with speeding cars all day long. With all the above said, the addition of a tower just adds to the destruction! We as a township or community have functioned fine without a tower. It is not a necessity for survival. There is someone or some company/corporation looking to profit from this endeavor and as always the agenda is HIDDEN! This has got to be one of the most ludicrous and poorly thought out ideas I have seen yet in our beloved township. This monstrous metal tower will harshly clash with the natural woods and topography of the land. This is not Southfield or Troy, it's Oakland Township!!! The board has got to think with their brains! But the board will not let you speak. At last night's meeting it was not allowed. Maybe my memory of what I was taught in our schools has faded a bit but I thought there existed this right called FREEDOM OF SPEECH!!! It appeared to me that the board had already made the decision and we poor Bastards got to watch in silence and be forced to accept another Board Blunder. Why is there not a township resident vote to really let the PEOPLE decide if they want this tower constructed in their back yards????? If the Board will not let us speak at the Township Meeting then let us vote. It's the democracy I was taught in school. Government of the people, by the people, for the people. Amen.

- Ron Schimon

I was at the last meeting and I can not attend this one. I find it repulsive that the Oakland County deputy played the 'terrorism' card. And how does his being shot in the line of duty make any relevant sense here? I's sorry that happened but it has no bearing on our back yard. And what about our fire chief? Bill Benoit works for us!! We don't work for him. He too played the terrorism card and the 'what if you are in that 4% non coverage area'. As it turns out that 4% is mostly fields in Western Stoney Creek Park. It looks like the 4% is a non-issue. Unless you are a deer or muskrat. So, put a repeater on the Addison tower at 32 Mile and Dequindre. Put one on the cell phone mono-pole in Goodison. And a third on the North East Auburn Hills lattice tower.That should do it nicely. Also; please ask Mr. Benoit why his township paid for white truck doesn't have any official markings?A FREE truck on us! Without any township insignia. There oughta be a law about that.

-Martin Rosalik

What else can be done if the approval of this takes place. What else can I do to help.

- Bruce Szopo

Besides earning large salaries, public officials are always looking for ways to catapult their careers to the next level. And If they ruin your town in the process , well........... that's just collateral damage.  Call Patterson and tell him where he can put his Tower.

If this tower is really for public safety, why are they building it in a hole?  MONEY...... FOLLOW THE MONEY!   Call Brooks Patterson. Let him and his investors know how you feel about his 'TECHNOLOGICAL CLOUD'.    NOT IN GOODISON! .... NOT IN GOODISON!

Take a ride through Oakland County and see what's been done to our landscape. Towers are everywhere, and they're all shapes and sizes- from large, to very large, to HUGE (AND ALL ARE UGLY). County officials say that these towers are erected for our 'safety,' but do you feel any safer? How about cancer survivors? Do they feel safer? Would they choose to live under one of these with the radiation
threat? We moved here to leave all that behind!

ANGRY TOWNSHIP RESIDENT

Property Values:

If this Tower goes up in Goodison, I hope all of you will be keeping track of how much the value of your property has dropped. Then we should have the basis for a class action suit to recoup monetary damages from Oakland Township. After all, it is not like Oakland Township officials didn't know this was going to happen.

- Goodison Resident

Why doesn't the fire dept. just purchase radios with the same frequency as the sheriffs dept. our fire chief loves to buy new toys. although I suppose the tower would be a lasting monument to him.

The placement of this tower in our small community is an outrage. By definition, according to Joan Fogler, a Township is 6 miles by 6 miles; 36 miles in total. There are few public building s in Oakland Township; we are primarily residential. The families that have moved to this area did so seeking the aesthetics of a rural setting. A handful of township officials, who supposedly represent we residents, seem to be caving in to those who will benefit financially from the construction of this tower, and ignoring the actual desires and needs of this community.

The individuals promoting this tower's placement have no vested interest in our community; they are paid employees , who live elsewhere. The fire marshall and police officer who are recommending this metal monstrosity to us may be fine firemen and police chiefs, but are not trained communication experts. Yesterday, as we were speaking to a friend from Colorado, currently on a 71 foot sailboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, using only his hand held satellite telephone to speak to us, we were wondering why we needed a new tower of any kind, let alone 200 feet tall, to communicate with other individuals within a 3 mile radius.

Fear tactics are being used to sway our community; fear tactics, and invented percentages that mean very little. Percentages create false impressions; 60% agree/disagree - 60% of how many?? perhaps 6? The size of the sample, as well as educational background and other demographics, are more important, but no one ever asks for that information.

If residents are afraid to remain in Oakland Township in the absence of a communication tower such as that which is being recommended to us, they would always have the option of moving. For those of us who have selected Oakland Township for its historical significance and natural beauty, and have invested literally millions of dollars in our properties, wishing to retain the character of our surroundings, we soundly object to this tower, and completely oppose it's placement. We insist on being recognized and respected. The minority has no right to control the majority in this country - that is NOT what being 'American' means !

- Colleen and Mike King

We here in Independence Township also were told that the tower that was to be erected among homes was for ONLY emergency communications. Now the township has sold or rents out every inch of this tower and only the township knows if every site is for emergency use. Just cover all your bases. Our tower was originally to be erected in Springfield Township but someone in the Springfield Township government did not want the tower near his home so Independence Township was sought out.

At the time our tower was erected several homes in the area still received their TV signals via roof antennas. The tower and the antennas did not mix well and the antennas lost the battle for good reception with the large tower.

Is there an Oakland twp. landowner in the "search area" (Rochester Rd. North of Gunn) willing to locate this monopole (antenna to 199') and a 40'x40' spot on their property in exchange for the future revenue stream (CLEMIS only needs a lot that is 40'x40')

We assume the future stream of payments would be great, considering the lengths Oakland Twp. is willing to go to keep this tower on land "they own".

- Concerned Resident

I think it would be helpful to notify concerned citizens on your web site of the upcoming meetings at the Township Hall(i.e., next Tuesday (March 22nd) and April 5th. NUMBERS of concerned citizens are important. Very few people showed up last Tuesday (March 15th) at the OT Parks/Rec Committee meeting (which of course, was a joke--they denied knowing anything and 'cannot DO anything' about the Tower and variance). Please--------show up on these dates to show your support of STOPPING THIS TOWER.

- Judy Murdoch

GET THE LEGAL ACTION STARTED...........DON'T WASTE ANY TIME

- CONCERNED RESIDENT

MY CONCERN IS ABOUT INCREASED RADIATION OVER OUR HEADS

The question about whether an increase in radiation will harm our children will not be answered in the near future. Because of the advances in technology, the last 20 years have brought about many changes in our lives that increase the amount of radiation we all absorb daily.

Microwave ovens	Emergency Towers
Smoke detectors	Cell Towers
Baby monitors	X-rays – Doctor visits, Dentist visits
Mobile phones	Nuclear Testing/Reactors
Laptop computers	Surgery

It may be another 20 years before the question is answered. By then, this generation of young people may be suffering an untold amount of health problems. But what I do know about radiation is that it accumulates in the body.

Therefore:
-None is better than some
-Less is better than more

I also know that I am NOT willing to take a chance on my children's health. HOW ABOUT YOU?

The risk is not worth it. The price is far too high.

Joan Fogler and Sharon Creps rejected using the preferred location, Blue Heron Park because they live right there. (We have the minutes from the meeting and it’s all there in black and white.) They say point blank, they don’t want to put the tower there because it’s right across the street from where they live! Blue Heron Park is a better location because no trees have to be cut down and the system works better in that location. Plus, it isn’t in a residential area, near a school. This fight isn’t just about a tower, this fight is about accountability
and integrity. This tower symbolizes the blatant abuse of power by our local government officials and it needs to stop! If this is not illegal it
is at the very least highly unethical. We must demand that our government officials honor their duty to protect and serve the people who elected them. Not protect and further their own personal agendas!

- Amy Pais-Richer

As a resident of Oakland Township I strongly oppose placing this tower on to Goodison site. I was present at township meetings when the
cellular tower was placed in Goodison and witnessed township the supervisor and officials promise residents there would not be another
tower, emergency or cellular in the Goodison area. What happened to those promises? My question is, Isn't the township site zoned residential with a special land use variance for the fire station and the township hall? How can the township and the tower officials consider placing this tower on residential property?

- Sally Clark

Everyone Help!

I do not have the emails to the board members and to the media. If anyone out there has the emails, please forward this web page,
highlighting the community forum to not only the board members, but to the papers, Channel 2,4,7, and to the Problem Solvers, and the Hall of Shame. (Channel 7 already did a story on us, and they need to follow the growing outrage,...see Monica Lewis at channel 7)

These board members need to be exposed and investigated as to why, the don't represent the people of this community, why they want to erect a tower that not only won't work inside the local schools, but is positioned several feet away from a day care center and elementary school, why they don't care about the radiation fall out that has been documented time and time again for causing cancer. (20/20 did a huge show on this) and is there a hidden agenda that needs to be exposed. We also need to ask them why they are placing this next to Mr. Smith's property line without his approval...it's 8 feet from his fence line. Also, all the secret dealings they have pushed through in the past need to be brought out in the light of day. Enough is Enough.

We also need to recall every person on that board and put local, yes people that actually live near here and care about the area, residents in that believe in democracy and the preservation of a community.

The meeting is tonight March 15th at 7:00pm Get there early!

Well done neighbors! Keep up the fight!  As a proud union teacher  I "specialize" in picket signs.  Need some??