Munsey Park confronts cell phone antennas in village

Luke Torrance

During a brief meeting last week, former Munsey Park Deputy Mayor Deborah Miller challenged the Munsey Park Board of Trustees on cell phone antennas in the village.

Miller asked why a cell phone antenna was being put into the village without public input.

[Other villages]… they seem to be doing public meetings, they seem to be doing moratoriums and all sorts of things,” she said. “What is Munsey Park doing?”

Village Attorney Robert Morici said the village was meeting with ExteNet Systems, which is installing the antennas across North Hempstead. He said that the matter would be discussed during the meeting’s executive session because it involved litigation.

“I can tell you that after tonight’s meeting, we anticipate having a public hearing on the issue at our next meeting,” he said.

Munsey Park will hold its next Board of Trustees meeting on Sept. 12.

Miller said that when she was on the village board and the issue of cell phone came before her, a moratorium was put in place and the regulations were made clear as to what could and could not be put in the village.

Morici declined to say anything further at the meeting.

When Miller pushed him on why it had to be discussed in executive session, he repeated that it was a matter of litigation.

When asked about the antenna this week, Morici said that the village code was clear on antennas and that Munsey Park would fight ExteNet on installing them.

“Our code is very stringent and restrictive, and we will see that they comply with it,” he said.

He declined to discuss the topic further. Members of the board also declined to discuss the antennas.

Reach reporter Luke Torrance by email at ltorrance@theislandnow.com, by phone at 516-307-1045, ext. 214, or follow him on Twitter @LukeATorrance.

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