To the editor: I must register my acute disappointment with the Lenox Planning Board.
For more than 18 months, Citizens for Safe Cell Siting have been asking for the Planning Board to listen to an independent attorney expert in writing wireless bylaws. We even provided them with an attorney’s name who has helped write bylaws for thousands of towns — bylaws that would keep us connected and protected. Well, a few weeks ago we finally received an answer from the chair of the Planning Board. It’s a resounding no. The board read all the information we’ve provided for them, and they’re not interested. They will only listen to their consultant and the town lawyer.
The lawyer, while I’m sure he’s a fine one, is not an expert when it comes to town bylaws. The consultant is so clearly on the side of the wireless companies that he can’t possibly be called unbiased. He has changed all the definitions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which the town is supposed to abide by, and has guided the board to write a bylaw that will thrill Verizon and AT&T.
If they had listened to us two years ago, they wouldn’t have needed to hire a consultant at all, and we would now have a bylaw for which we could vote yes. But we were ignored and dismissed. And that is a crying shame, because this bylaw still needs to be examined by an expert attorney before it can be passed.
Amy Judd, Lenox