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Community Forum
Below are comments from your neighbors and friends. Please contact us and help get the word out!

I called Joan Fogler, Oakland Township Supervisor, at 248-651-7293 in regards to the tower. She said that as of two days ago, the placement of the tower was moved so that she does not believe that that they need to get a variance on it after all. She said that on the 1st Tuesday in April, it will go to the Planning Commission and on the second Tuesday in April it would go to the Township Board.

I have children that attend Baldwin Elementary and Goodison Child Care Center and am extremely opposed to this tower going in at the proposed location.

My question is whether the meeting on March 15th will still be held if they no longer need a variance.

- Oakland Farms Resident


From the many discussions with locals I've had, there is a pervasive sense of despair from the residents in this community, people who feel like they can't impact any decisions like the forestalling of this surreal tower proposal because they've been here before. Although I was not here at the time, I moved here because of the beauty of the area, despite some its most recent scars like the unbelievably unnatural Flagstar Bank. I'm sure that once upon a time, there was a small little charming town with historic homes, small little businesses and a beautiful, natural setting. It was my false assumption that things like the bank were strange exceptions, and that naturally the local government would be fighting to preserve the most precious, and obvious, asset they have - the rural and natural character of a town that also enjoys and very nearby set of modern amenities in Rochester and Rochester Hills. Since then, I've realized how wrong my assumptions were. A series of eerily similar events like what is currently occurring with the tower have occurred again and again - land deeded to the Township for a park that instead was turned into a fire and police dept. so we can hear sirens that sound just like when I lived in Chicago; historic homes bull-dozed without notice and replaced with a bank; a strip mall installed, then a cell tower; two days ago a historic tree that the Paint Creek Cider Mill was built around to try and preserve was chopped down by the new residents - the Township! I'm sure in each of these instances, there was some loose logic applied, and the local residents convinced themselves that it was only
this one thing that would go wrong. Now, everyone can see differently - it's a pattern.

And this is where it has to stop. The tower is not about just the tower, it's about a principle. The principle of a local government accountable to its residents. The principle of transparent issues and transparent decisions that the community is involved in. The principle, dare I say it, of democracy itself. This is where fear-mongering like '9/11!' becomes so dangerous - it can strip us of our own
freedoms and rights. I will not live here and see this continue to happen.

So, for me, here's the deal. If Ms. Fogler lets this go through, it's time for a recall. I am not kidding - she is an extension of the previous misguided government, Ms. Buser, and apparently continuing the long run of a current good-ol-boys/girls network (and a money trail?) that is not representative of our residents. It's time to clean house - this government acts as if they own this town, not us. For me, our vision ought to be to not just stop the tower, but reverse some of the previous decisions and ensure more like them don't occur.

- Mark-Hans Richer

APARRENTLY NOTHING HAS CHANGED FROM 1995. TOWNSHIP OFFICIAL COULD CARE LESS WHAT THE RESIDENTS THEY REPRESENT WANT OR DON'T WANT. I RECENTLY LISTENED TO TAPES OF THE TOWNSHP MEETINGS (BOARD, PLANNING COMMISSION/ZONING BOARD OF APEAL, ETC.) FROM MAY/JUNE 1995 IN RELATION THE TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT. ONCE AGAIN I WAS REMINDED HOW POORLY RESIDENCE WERE TREATED, HOW THEY WERE LAUGHED AT OR MOCKED. UNFORTUNATELY, FEW CHANGES HAVE OCCURED AND MOST OF THIS BOARD REMAINS TODAY. JOAN BUSER (FORMER TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR)ASSURED RESIDENT DURING 1995/1996 MEETINGS THE CURRENT TOWNSHIP SITE WOULD NEVER HAVE A EMERGENCY TOWER, MOST OF THE CURRENT BOARD WAS PRESENT AND HEARD THIS STATEMENT ALONG WITH BILL BENOIT, FIRE CHIEF/BUILDING INSPECTOR. SHE ALSO STATED THE FIRE STATION LOCATED IN GOODISION WOULD BE THE ONLY STATION EVER NEEDED BY THE TOWNSHIP. ONCE AGAIN A LIE. WITHIN THE LAST 8 YEARS TWO OTHER STATIONS WERE BUILT IN THE EXACT SITES SUGGESTED BY RESIDENTS IN 1995.

ALL THE RESIDENTS OF OAKLAND TOWNSHIP OWN THIS SITE AND THE BOARD WORKS FOR US. HOW LONG WOULD YOUR BUSINESS LAST IF YOU TREATED CUSTOMERS THE WAY WE ARE TREATED AT PUBLIC MEETINGS?

HOW MANY TIMES DOES THE TOWNSHIP EXPECT US TO TAKE IT IN THE ASS. OAKHILL RESIDENTS SPENT OVER $30,000 FIGHTING THE FIRE STATION WHICH THEY JUST CONTINUED TO BUILD.

IF OTHER CITIES FEEL THE SAFETY OF RESIDENTS IS A CONCERN AND THE DISTANCE OF A TOWER MUST BE AS FAR AWAY FROM RESIDENTAL PROPERTY AS HOW TALL THE TOWER IS WHY DOESN'T OAKLAND TOWNSHIP. THIS TOWER HAS NO BUSINESS BEING IN GOODISON 8 - 50 - 200 FT. FROM RESIDENTAL PROPERTIES AND YET THE SITE IT IS BEING PLACED ON IS ZONED RESIDENTAL.

WHEN ARE RESIDENTS GOING TO WAKE UP.......THE BOARD WE HAVE IN PLACE TODAY DOESN'T CARE ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY OR ITS RESIDENTS CONCERNS.

AND YES, THIS IS IN MY BACK YARD ONCE AGAIN!

- PATRICIA THOMAS


It is time for the leaders of Oakland Township to listen to the majority opinion. If God wanted a tower in Goodison he would have put one there. Instead He put beautiful landscape, rolling hills, flowing rivers and unbelievable wildlife. People live in Oakland Township to get away from the concrete jungles that our cities have become. Have the leaders of our community explored ALL options for this eyesore. It's never to late to go back to the drawing board. Goodison is tired of taking one for the team. Enough is enough. The people who really count say no.

- John Rooney


WE'RE CONFUSED!! HELP US FIGURE THIS OUT!!

O. T. wants to build a 256' Tower 8' from residential property. Not a good idea.
Lot setback on Township parcel is 40'.

So.................

Requests for ZONING VARIANCE were mailed to the residents within 300'. (Copy of request on web site)

Apparently this request has been withdrawn. OR SO WE THINK

Multiple Choice:

WAS THIS DONE BECAUSE REQUEST WAS:

A) Stupidest idea heard this week?
B) People are taking a close look at local government and are getting very angry at what they see?
C) Township would like you all to show up to protest. If no variance is on agenda, you would be angry because your time was wasted?
D) We publish that the zoning request was cancelled and no angry residents show up. THEN, WITH NO ANGRY RESIDENTS AT THE MEETING, THE ZONING VARIANCE GETS PASSED! Sneaky, Sneaky!!!
E) All of the above.

We don't know what is going on, but we suspect that the answer is (E).

Anyway, we will all be at the meeting JUST TO BE SURE.

NEWS UPDATE

After a meeting in Goodison on Thursday night with legal counsel present, since no one knows what is going on, we decided to TRY to find out.

We called Joan Fogler and asked her about the zoning variance request. Is it an agenda item or not?

AND HER ANSWER WAS: (you guessed it, more multiple choice)

A) I'm not sure
B) I'm not on the zoning board
C) We have No SECRETS, all our meetings are open. Nothing is done behind closed doors. (Yeah, Right!)
D) You'll have to call the township. WE THOUGHT WE JUST DID.
E) All of the above

Right again. (E) is the answer.

One caveat to keep in mind. If you talk with anyone at the Township Hall, please write down their name as well as the date of call and the answer to your question. This way, we can help them with their selective amnesia. We can help them to avoid mistakes. Like the one made three days ago when Amy called for the time and date of the Zoning meeting. She was told it was on Wednesday, rather that on Tuesday. If she showed up a day late, would they have said 'Oops! We're sorry. You are a day late. Unfortunately you missed the meeting. That's too bad' We wonder....

- Rita Davidson

Stop the tower!
Mr. Creech who is a driving force in this project doesn't even live here. Where do you live? Macomb?
Why is this man so hell bent on placing this tower in the heart of Goodison next to a daycare center, elementary school and residents? Residents who live here for the charm, and natural beauty.
Is he and the board prepared to deal with the fall out when the children in this area start getting ill because of the radiation fall out?
Do they realize?

I have never seen a group of people, the board, work so hard against the people they are suppose to represent!
There is something fishy going on here.
This is not a democratic decision, ...they are ramming this down our throats!

At the last meeting Mr. Bailey let Ms Coats speak for over an hour on the fact of the tower. (She is the Oakland Co. Radio Project Administrator.
Then (In true un-democratic fashion) allowed the residents to speak their side with the following rules. He told us we were limited to 2 minutes a person, and if anyone started repeating what the other person had said, he would end the meeting.
Hmmmmmm...freedom of speech? ...only if you agree with the tower.

No one is trying to stop or hinder communication between the fire and police.
In fact even if this monster tower were to go in, it still wouldn't transmit the signal inside schools. So what's the point?
The very children they are trying to protect, they still can't help during an emergency, but they are willing to put these kids in harms way of radiation.
Is anyone thinking?

We know several of the fire officials, and they have stated that there is 'no problem' with communication that they have encountered.

This is unbelievable on so many levels.
The tower should not be here, not only is it an eye-sore, it's an endangerment to the surrounding community.
There are other places, they just have to look.
The next level, for us to look at as a community, is the representatives and leaders that have volunteered to represent us.
Let have people that work for us. A new concept around here.
This is only the beginning.
We're done with the dictatorship in this area.
They (the board) always tell us: 'we can voice our opinion, but it's a done deal' America?..I think not.
Why is everything this board does, done behind closed doors.

The Oakland Press will be on Bear Creek Ct. Monday March 14th at 4pm. Everyone be there!
Channel Seven news already broadcast the interview to Stop the Tower! God Bless Channel 7!
We're not the only ones that believe this is wrong!
Join the cause!!!

Stop the tower!

The government of Rochester Hills recently passed a law concerning these
very towers. The law states that towers must be as far away from any building as it
is tall, for safety reasons, as a matter of fact every other city in Oakland
County has this law. That's why these towers are typically placed by dumps, parks,
and in non-residential areas. The Rochester government had the sense to recognize
that these towers could potentially be harmful. Oakland Township is planning on
putting their tower 8 feet from property lines, in a populated area,less than 2
tenths of a mile from an elementary school and day care.The fact that one
government, Rochester Hills is trying to protect its citizens and another is
welcoming this tower into a populated area with open arms, and totally disregarding
the welfare of it's residents, is unconscionable.

- Goodison Hills Resident

Wouldn't the center of the township mean a shorter tower and therefore no
strobe and flashing light?

What is the comparison between the existing radio coverage and the new proposed?

What is the cost difference between a lower tower(190 ft. and no lights) and the
cost of leased or private sites, i.e. Golf courses or Stony Creek or Bald Mountain
Parks?

Where will the money go from the township renting out antennae space, or is the
Township being compensated for the tower?

Radio Frequency is old technology. Why not use Satellites? If RF energy is bad for
the Blue Heron Rookery (and it can't be there) then why not People and the Day Care
Center and Baldwin Elementary School.

What will the noise level be like from the Power Generator that attaches to the tower?
How often will it be run to routinely charge the batteries?

There is already partial coverage from Orion, Addison, and Rochester Hills'
towers.....Do we really need one here and the added expenses?

- Bob Pears


Letter to jcreech@oaklandtownship.org

Dear Oakland Citizen,

I am strongly apposed to this tower being placed in a residential, school
and park area.

Concerns regarding the proposed Emergency Tower at the Oakland Township Hall:

1. Does this 256 ft. tower belong in a residential area? What is this going
to do to property values? When the Township Hall was erected, they stated
there would be NO towers.

2. What researched based information ( not sales pitch from CLEMIS ) was
gathered on height, location and coverage? What were the pros and cons of
other locations and why were they unacceptable? Wouldn't the center of the
township mean a shorter tower and therefore no strobe and flashing red light?

3. What is the comparison between the existing coverage and the proposed?

4. What is the cost difference between a lower tower (190 ft.and no lights)
and the cost of leased or private sites, i.e. golf courses or Stony Creek
or Bald Mountain Parks?

5. Where will the money go from the Township renting out antennae space, or
is the Township being compensated for the tower?

6. Radio Frequency is old technology. Why not use Satellites? If RF
energy is bad for the Blue Heron Rookery (and it can't be there) then why not
people and the Day Care Center and Baldwin Elementary School.

7. What is the Township's cost to buy into this system and where is the $
coming from?
Is the Oakland County Sheriff's Department and our voluntary Fire Department
contributing to this Tower they want?

8. What will the noise level be like from the Power Generator attached to
the tower? How often will it be run to routinely charge the batteries?

9. There is already partial coverage from Orion, Addison, and Rochester
Hills' towers.......Do we really need one here and the expenses?

Sincerely,
Concerned Citizens and STOPTHETOWER.NET

Thank you for the first open forum Oakland Township site that I've encountered.

The article in the 3/10/05 Rochester Eccentric is the first I've heard of this
latest tower construction. Perhaps this is a naive question, but why can't the
CLEMIS apparatus be placed on the existing tower?
My neighbors and I were involved in getting the East Snell Road Sprint tower,
located within Township boundaries which is located within the boundaries of Stony
Creek Park, moved to what we perceived as a less intrusive site in 2001. A core
group attended a lot of meetings of the Oakland Township Planning Commission, the
Oakland Township Board of Trustees and of the Huron Metropolitan Park Authority
before a compromise site was settled on. Citizen input does work sometimes. Keep
up the good fight for your rights and concerns.

- Nancy Aronovitz

We must fight the Township from ruining our community. The Township is
being rushed to make this decision by Oakland County and they must slow down and
make the best decision as this is a permanent structure. Whenever you are rushed
into making a decision, you never make the best decision. Let's look at all the
alternatives, let's look at reducing the tower under 200 feet (no beacon light)
There is no need to build a 256 foot tower on this parcel of land.

If you read the master plan on the Oakland Township Web site it is contrary to this
tower. It talks about maintaining a community which will strengthen its assets and
preserve what residents value. This tower is not what residents value. They want
to put this monster of a tower right next to the Paint Creek Trail, Bear Creek Park,
an elementary school, and a preschool/daycare facility. This does not make sense.
There must be a better solution for Oakland County, Oakland Township and its
residents!

Below is a re-print of a flyer that has been making the rounds.

Attention parents, This concerns our children!

There is a proposal to put a 250-foot emergency response tower at the entrance to
Bear Creek Park. This tower will be less than 8 feet from a residents property line,
and less than two tenths of a mile from the Baldwin Elementary School and a day
care. In addition to the obvious risk of putting a tower in close proximity to
children and residents there are more subtle risks such as radiation. There are
4,800 links on the Internet about the safety of these RF towers. Many are stories of
towns where they were told the towers were safe but they now have a high incidence
of various cancers.

Also be aware that according to the very people that are putting up the tower, it is
not effective in school buildings. For instance, if there were an emergency at the
Baldwin Elementary School, our emergency personnel would not be able to communicate
well or at all in the building because the tower doesn’t work in that type of
building. With all the risks and unknown factors that this tower presents, isn’t it
just common sense to locate it in a less populous area? -Mothers & Fathers Against
The Tower

Come and let your voice be heard!
A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD
TUESDAY MARCH 15TH 7:00PM AT TOWNSHIP HALL
4393 COLLINS RD. ROCH. MI. 48306

Contact Joan Fogler The Oakland Township Supervisor at
248-651-7293 and tell her NO TOWER NEAR OUR CHILDREN.

For more information go to www.stopthetower.net

As I watch this drama unfold, I can't help but be embarrassed for our township officials. They do not have a clue to what residents want, need, or are willing to accept. I wonder if it isn't time for new representation in Oakland Township. Yes, people are certainly concerned about public safety. Yes, people want to help law enforcement officials respond to emergencies, but lets bring some sanity to this issue. Don't these officials realize why zoning is important in the first place? It is to prevent exactly what CLEMIS wants us to accept. You can't build a 256ft. tower 8 feet from someone's property residential property. You don't blow up the house to get the mosquito!


What planet are these people from? Our roads are crumbling, landfills are overflowing, our open spaces are disappearing, air and water is being polluted, our economy is struggling, houses are not selling, and now our esteemed township officials are willing to endanger our children's future health and welfare by allowing a 256ft. tower to be build in a residential neighborhood, 8 feet away from residential property and next to a school and day care center. What is wrong with this picture?


Conversation overheard between our esteemed Fire Chief and a resident, at conclusion of 3-1-05
township meeting.

Resident asked Fire Chief about the agreement not to allow any more towers in
area after approval of cell tower in Goodison. Chief’s answer… If it’s not in
writing, it doesn't count.


March 5, 2005

Open Letter to Oakland Township Officials:

You have been duped! Many of you are part time board members who willingly volunteer your time to make your hometown a better place to live. You struggle with decisions about public health and safety, and you believe what you have been told by CLEMIS. Take a closer look.

Read the Rochester Eccentric – March 3, 2005, page A8. Note L. Brooks Patterson’s remarks at his State of the County address, about the county’s plan to create a “technological cloud,” universal wireless Internet access, encompassing all of Oakland County. “While the final costs are unknown, officials believe Oakland residents have had to pony up enough money for technology to cover their end.”

Patterson reiterated that point, adding “between EMERGENCY TOWERS, water towers and the fiber optic cable already in place, the county has a very good platform for private investors to build upon.”

There appears to be an opportunity for investors to make a lot of money on the backs of unsuspecting residents. But first, township officials were duped into thinking that these unsightly and dangerous towers are necessary for public safety. If this system does not work in schools why are you considering it?

PLEASE DO NOT CHANGE ZONING

PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW THE RAPE OF OUR PARKS

PLEASE DO NOT BRING MORE RADIATION INTO THIS AREA TO AFFECT OUR CHILDREN AND PREGNANT MOMS

PLEASE DO NOT ALLOW OAKLAND TOWNSHIP TO BECOME A DUMPING GROUND FOR EVERY KIND OF TOWER

We have all been duped. Your responsibility is to serve and protect this township. Read, investigate, and vote with your conscience. This tower does not belong in any residential area. This tower does not belong in Goodison!

Sincerely,
Rita Davidson

Maybe it is time to rethink support for township purchase of land for parks.
Once land comes out of private ownership, it goes under township control and
they can do anything they please with it. Township residents be damned!

As a Township resident who drives Orion Road every day, I resent the comment made by an official at the meeting on 3/1/05, stating that people did not notice the increased height of telephone poles along Orion road. Of course we noticed! How stupid does he think we are? The old poles were replaced along Orion and Silverbell with poles twice as high. Is he aware that telephone poles are a public utility easement?


This project belongs in an industrial area. Take a look at the tower on
Telegraph and Square Lake!

I had a private meeting with Joan Buser (previous township supervisor)
about the cell tower that went up in Goodison right after it appeared.
I was promised that this was the only tower that would ever be erected
in this area. Any necessary equipment would be hung on that tower.

- Rita Davidson


The source of radiation from this tower will be right overhead. So in order to
protect our children, we need to poison them?

-BCC Home Owner and Tax Payer

Are these people crazy?

Why would anyone put a 256ft. tower in the middle of a quiet residential area, near
a school and a daycare center? Somebody is getting paid off.

We moved into our home on Gallagher Road in May. We chose this property because of
its rural and historic feel. Unfortunately, we missed the meeting last week,
however, we are adamantly opposed to this tower. At this point,what is the best way
to make our voice heard at the township? I am simply amazed that they would
jeopardize the charm of this area by erecting such a tower. Someone must be making
a large sum of money off of its construction.

- Jerolyn Szuch

I was at the planning meeting and I support what you are doing. Is there a
plan to put more pressure on the trustees to understand where the township
voters stand on this issue? Can we collect signatures or bombard them with
E-Mails? I feel that the only way to influence their decision is to let them
know in no uncertain circumstances how the voters will vote with respect to
their re-election if this proposal goes through. I live at 336 Oakbridge in the
Oakland Farms Subdivision. Put me on your mailing list and let us know if
there is anything we can do to help in an organized way.

- Paul and Deborah Habel

I have lived on Bear Creek Ct. for 18 years. Since this time I have personally
witnessed dramatic changes in the "nature" of things in Goodison. Namely, the
hideous Township hall, Flagstar Bank, strip mall, existing tower by Baldwin school,
etc. All of this was done in a deceiving method. We voted to keep Bear Creek Park
(and others)as a nature park (the planning committee had ideas of turning it into a
baseball field and "lookout towers" throughout giving people a great view of my
private back yard).

It seems that every time we turn our heads, the planning committee comes up with a
new "idea" to destroy the very area I purchased for its inequity. The tower is NOT
acceptable in any form. There are other areas for the tower (which I feel is
outdated before it is even being built). I attended this week and was appalled by
the lack of knowledge dealing with such a subject. The Township had ignored most of
the questions or did not have the knowledge to answer them. 64 people voted AGAINST
the tower. That accounted for all but one person who wasn't sure.

Not only do these people not listen to the outcry of the public, they insist on
"advertising" it in papers which hardly anyone ever received (i.e. Rochester
Eccentric). There is never any publication of their "planning" (which is NEVER in
the best interest of Bear Creek park and all its inhabitants (including people).

I do NOT want to see the park or surrounding areas changed into a "airplane" strip.
I feel they have already ruined a great part of Goodison. STOP THE TOWER.

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