In your opinion, do communities need expert assistance to regulate this issue and, if so, <br />why? <br />"Absolutely. As a planner, I am trained to be a planner, but that does not include knowing about technical issues <br />such as cell towers, RF engineering, structural engineering, safety requirements unique to towers and wireless <br />antennas or applicable law. I thought that originally I could handle this, but it is great to have someone who <br />understands what should be required from the cell tower people and what they're capabilities really are. I have <br />learned that the cell tower people will tell you whatever you want to hear in order to get what they want, including <br />a tower, when there are alternatives they never tell you about, even when you ask. You need someone to protect <br />your community and its citizens and that is not the cell tower industry. They are here to make the most money <br />they can and nothing else." <br />Person County, NC. <br />"Absolutely - we do not have the staff or resources to handle the complexity of the siting requirements." <br />Walkersville, Md. <br />"From a great deal of experience I absolutely and completely believe that all communities need expert assistance <br />to regulate the placement of wireless telecommunications facilities due to the complicated and technical nature of <br />the issue. This expert assistance assures that appropriately placed facilities provide the best service to the <br />community, with the least visual impact to protect the nature and character of the community and it's done in a <br />professional, non-contentious manner." <br />Wake Forest, NC <br />"Yes. Every community needs specialized staff to review specialized applications and these are very technical <br />applications. There are a variety of issues related to wireless applications and only a trained individual will <br />understand those issues. The bottom line is that it is critical to the safety and general welfare of the public to fully <br />understand wireless facilities and their associated applications. Only a trained expert can provide the necessary <br />review and keep a community from being legally challenged as CMS has done." <br />Sarpy County, Ne. <br />"Yes. Unless you have someone on your staff who has a great deal of expertise in the area of <br />telecommunications, you may end up having to accept things in your community based on what the industry says <br />is appropriate versus what really is appropriate and feasible. CMS has been an advocate for us in dealing with the <br />telecommunications industry. They have balanced the need for the services provided and the needs of the County <br />to maintain orderly development and the aesthetic quality of the community." <br />Stokes County, NC <br />"The way CMS operates is a win-win situation. The community wins by not incurring costs dealing with a very <br />complex issue and gets, in effect, free expertise, costing our citizen taxpayers nothing, the wireless industry gets <br />what it's always asking for: clearly understandable regulatory language using the industry's own nomenclature, <br />and fair and consistent rules. Smaller communities with perhaps less knowledge about the wireless industry can <br />especially benefit from having expertise from a company whose purpose is to help assure a win-win situation with <br />each party's needs met." <br />DeFuniak Springs, Fl <br />"Yes. Neither I nor anyone else employed with the city has the expertise to deal with the cell tower companies. <br />However; it has become obvious because of past experience that the tower companies would love to deal only <br />with non-experts. As they showed many times before CMS began helping us, they realize our lack of expertise <br />and would like to take advantage of that weakness." <br />Opelika, Al. <br />"Yes- as technologies change, unless you have experts and RF and structural engineers on staff, it is not possible <br />for local government to be aware and cognizant of the changes or the numerous less intrusive options available. <br />A few months ago, a cell site went up outside of this county's jurisdiction. Long story short, the carrier took <br />advantage of a small town. There was and is no where for the residents to voice concern or, even be aware of the <br />site being placed so close to homes." <br />Yankton, SD. <br />18 <br />