Supervisors table two requests for cellular phone towers

Published 12:00 am Monday, October 9, 2000

Adams County supervisors put off a decision to allow an outside company to use two towers — including one in downtown Natchez — for cellular phone use.

Guy Stout of Vanguard Towers LLC spoke to the board Monday about using a tower at the Adams County Sheriff’s Department and installing a portable antenna at the tower at Natchez Regional Medical Center.

But supervisors said they would have to discuss it with the hospital board, Sheriff Tommy Ferrell and the county’s civil defense department.

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&uot;I think we’re not (in) a position for decision making,&uot; said Virginia Salmon, board president.

Ferrell said he thinks the issue raises legal questions and safety and liability concerns.

&uot;It’s private versus government, and we’re government,&uot; said Ferrell, whose department uses the tower for its operations.

The supervisors currently have a moratorium on communication towers but have a meeting scheduled for Wednesday to discuss county zoning. The meeting will include talks about communication towers and guidelines for subdivisions.

The City of Natchez has also tabled requests from Stout to construct towers on Jefferson Davis Boulevard and at Reynolds and Brown streets.

In other business Monday, Bobby G. McCool, manager of Natchez’s Cable One office, spoke to the board about cable service and adding new channels to the system.

The supervisors had asked McCool to attend the meeting because of requests from the public for a Christian television station on the cable system.

The Rev. Stanley B. Searcy Sr. of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church spoke to the board on the issue.

&uot;I think we need to bring a positive role model to the children of this area&uot; because children will act out the violence and sex they see television, Searcy said.

McCool said Cable One cannot add more stations because it does not have any vacant frequencies and its current programming is under contract.

But the company is working to upgrade its services through repairs, a backup power system and fiber optics cable. Changes may be possible down the road, he said.

&uot;Once we rebuild our system and expand frequencies we will have room to add additional channels,&uot; McCool said.