It’s amazing that every elected official runs on a pledge of supporting “public safety” but after elected they do a 180 and tune out resident fears and concerns for the almighty buck.
Case in point. While there has been much written about the potential harmful effects of Electromagnetic Fields, EMF, the Mission Viejo city manager hires a consultant to put a self serving “spin” on the future installation of cell towers in our city parks and recreation centers.
Mayor Reavis only discovered this contract by reading a check register.
Cell service providers give upwards of $2,000 per month for the right to install these devices. I recently posted about our city attorney, without direction from the council majority, creating an Ordinance related to this very issue that Lance MaClean told him to throw away.
Lance is so out of touch on the issue, especially having served on the ad-hoc team to address this issue, stated that churches may install these towers if we don’t agree to a plan. Hello Lance. Churches already have installed cell towers in their buildings.
We have some pretty sharp activists in our city. Without naming names I know the person who is spearheading this activism and web site. You can check out the history of their concerns by simply going to this link where you can obtain more data than I am sharing in this Blog post.
A link to read the city’s proposed Wireless Master Plan and selected data follows:
“Mission Viejo Cell Out is a grassroots effort led by an alliance of MV citizens to protect 18 of our parks, open spaces and recreation centers from being sold off to wireless carriers by the city. We believe Mission Viejo parks and family centers should be safe places designated for recreation, not cell tower blight and commercial gain.
Our group formed in May 2007, in response to the city’s consideration of a “Wireless Master Plan” drafted by ATS Communications. This proposed Master Plan offers our parks to wireless carriers in exchange for city revenue. We believe the Wireless Master Plan is potentially one of the biggest sell-outs of our city since the SCE Viejo Systems Project. Mission Viejo Cell Out maintains the following goals: 1) Keep the public informed and share information via links to city documents 2) Provide action alerts and mobilize concerned citizens to attend the city council hearing on September 17.
Wireless Master Plan
The Wireless Master Plan started off as a good idea but ended up like a bad dream. The original idea was to provide better city planning to remedy the last 10 years of haphazard cell tower proliferation.What went wrong? Financial gain entered the picture. The city sought the additional goal of having a “Plan” that exclusively designates city property for cell tower revenue.
Simply stated, the goal of decreasing cell tower proliferation is in conflict with the goal of increasing city revenue from cell towers; especially when the city involves a contractor (ATS) who also shares in the earnings. The two goals are non-compatible, incongruent, and do not co-exist ethically.
Hence you wind up with a swell of angry citizens because of a city’s double talk, which ends up transparantly inauthentic. “You can’t fool all of the people…”Additionally, a more accurate and truly effective “Master Plan” would survey the city as a whole, noting coverage gaps and offering either city or non-city owned sites based on the best (not the only) choice.
Contrary to this, the ATS Wireless Master Plan comes up with an exclusive list of 18 city properties; which ends up being merely a list of all our parks.If the Wireless Master Plan is adopted, these 18 parks & recreation centers will be marketed to wireless carriers for the construction of cell towers in exchange for city revenue.
To view a copy of the proposed Wireless Master Plan drafted by ATS, click here.
“An international working group of scientists, researchers and public health policy professionals released a report which raises a concern about childhood leukemia, brain tumors, acoustic neuromas and Alzheimer’s disease from EMF exposure.” That said, shouldn’t our elected officials take a position that when in doubt, always lean to public health over public wealth?
To see the above referenced data simply click on this link.
On September 4, 2007, Council Member Lance McLean told us that a park will be available if it is the optimal place for a tower to be. He also said that an ordinance banning towers in parks is not needed because as a landowner, the city can say “no”. That is right , but we are not worried about the “No”, we need protections from the “Yes”.
The Planning Commission has turned down the Draft twice as inadequate. The Planning Commission is not influenced by special interest because they are appointed and not elected. From substantial campaign donations, we have witnessed first hand the influence SCE had over our city council members. Now our citizens are being exposed to significantly higher EMF levels from the SCE Viejo Systems Project than ever before.
WE must not allow outside influence to rule over citizen rights in our city ever again.
We need to keep ALL our parks as RF Free Zones, and free from commercial exploitation. cathy schlicht
The company seeking to install the towers most likely has a lobbyist who has been working the city staff and at least some on the Council. That’s my bet. Anyone know if there is such a lobbyist and if so who it is?
The special interest are hard at work again in Mission Viejo. Just peel back the onion one layer at a time and you will find them.
The public is not the council’s concern, satisfying the special interests and the big money boys are the concern. Children’s health so what if they get cancer the council members coffers will be OK.
Mason Ivy
Mission Viejo
Do these activists use a cell phone?
I am glad that the city leaders of Mission Viejo are working to add more cell phone towers. I am tired of having my cell phone conversations disconnected while in Mission Viejo.
Why shouldn’t the city collect revenue for the towers being on city property? It helps increase revenue for the city. Also, private land owners are collecting revenue from towers on their property.
As for the fears of mobile phone radiation and health, the World Health Organization has concluded that serious health effects (e.g. cancer) are very unlikely to be caused by cellular phones or their base stations, and expects to make recommendations about mobile phones in 2007–08. Reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_radiation_and_health
dear anonymous 1:53: please reference http://www.peer.org/news/news_id.php?row_id=683
It is a press release generated by PEER, announcing that the OSHA June 10,2004 RF Survey warns that a cell tower within Yellowstone National Park is emiting rf radiation in excess of federal safety standards.
The report states that warning signs will be installed to warn visitors away.
Is that the future of our Mission Viejo Parks? A warning to keep visitors away ???? cathy schlicht
Comment at a “coffee klatch” earlier today:
“Put the cell tower decision on a Ballot–let the citizens of Mission Viejo decide.”
Note: Not that the citizens wish to engage in micro-managing but some members of our city council do need to be reined in regarding their decision making. LG
anonymous 7:41 p.m.
While I have an idea who is promoting this, without hard evidence I will refrain from answering your question at this time. ATS is a very small company. My sense is that they are relying on an outside connected firm, to assist in the placement of these cell towers.
anonymous 1:53 p.m.
There is another blog in OC that has a very clear picture on this issue. Namely, with our hills and valley’s, that you will find holes in coverage. That said are we to install cell towers on every street pole or city owned facility so that you get 100 percent coverage when in our city? Talk about “blight.”
FYI.
For those who question whether or not elected officals read our blog posts. I have received three different email replies from our city manager on this post that I will keep off line. They recognize the power and influence on public opinion by this new Internet news media tool.
Mr. Gilbert:
If I had my “druthers” I say no cell towers, and no fees from cell towers to corrupt the corruptible. It sounds like your city manager and his cohorts are massaging the public to line their pockets.
Good luck with the two bit politicians they are the worst. Follow the money right to the special interests. Which one of your city folks drive BMW’s while you walk.??
Lance Toaster
The city council wants to have a community outreach program by bringing in the cell carriers with ATS and its consultants to educate the public on the benefits of the master plan. This is just another foolish scheme from this council. Does the council have so little respect for the community that they thought we would not see the folly of “educating” the public by using the parties who have a vested interest in acquiring the rights to our parks?
The public had its outreach program on April 30th and June 25th. Keep the cell sites out of OUR parks and rec centers and away from our homes and schools. Frank Flicker
I suspect our city elders are lining their own pockets. Why else would they continue to maintain such an arrogant stance against such an unpopular plan?
The city diverted funds (at least $500,000) from the massive parks & slopes maintenance budget (has this become the city’s slush fund now?) to install a completely unnecessary and way-over-the –top sophisticated internet wi-fi system based on Cisco routers, switches and meshed network. Jackie Alexander, the city’s IT Manager, needs the cell phone towers to carry an expanded wi-fi system around the city. Why? So we can enjoy advertising filled internet? This pork-barrel project raises all kinds of questions:
Why were other less expensive systems rejected in favor of a much more expensive,completely over the top Cisco based system?
Why has Cox been allowed to stop the network beyond City Hall, claiming loss of revenue?
Why is the city’s money trail in this project covered up? With so much money being thrown around, who’s pockets are being filled?
I suspect cover-up and fraud on a major scale. How can we demand an inquiry.
I suspect our city elders are lining their own pockets. Why else would they continue to maintain such an arrogant stance against such an unpopular plan?
The city also diverted funds (at least $500,000) from the massive parks & slopes maintenance budget (has this become the city’s slush fund now?) to install a completely unnecessary and way-over-the –top sophisticated internet wi-fi system based on Cisco routers, switches and meshed network. Jackie Alexander, the city’s IT Manager, needs the cell phone towers to carry an expanded wi-fi system around the city. Why? So we can enjoy advertising filled internet? This pork-barrel project raises all kinds of questions:
Why were other less expensive systems rejected in favor of a much more expensive,completely over the top Cisco based system?
Why has Cox been allowed to stop the network beyond City Hall, claiming loss of revenue?
Why is the city’s money trail in this project covered up? With so much money being thrown around, who’s pockets are being filled?
I suspect cover-up and fraud on a major scale. How can we demand an inquiry.