Village Conducts Survey on NextG Boxes, Praises Cell Tower Agreement

The Village of Massapequa Park recently conducted a survey on NextG antennas that were installed by the company two years ago.

The boxes were installed amid some concern by residents who had questions about whether they'd be an eyesore and if the emissions would be dangerous.

"A couple of residents were concerned about emissions and we promised that we were going to find out, and we were going to test [the boxes]" mayor James Altadonna said at this week's Village Board meeting. "We actually did that and we're happy to say of the statistics  were far below the FCC [maximum emission requirements]."

The test conducted by Viatech Electromagnetics, LLC cost $3,400 and residents who asked were provided with the results, Altadonna said.

Meanwhile, the Village no longer has to worry about another installation by a communications company.

Verizon and the Massapequa Water District have resolved issues that would have led the village to erect a cell phone tower on Sunrise Highway. Verizon currently has a cell antenna on the Massapequa Park water tower.

"It is to our delight that cooler heads prevailed and the Water District and Verizon  had a meeting of the minds and they are staying with  the water tower," Altadonna said. 

Despite the deal, the village is still going through with plans to purchase land for the Sunrise Highway tower.

"We always need an alternate site," the mayor said, explaining that federal law prohibits local governments from stopping a company from bringing cell phone service into an area.. "The FCC won't let us deny an application, but they will allow us to come up with an alternative site, " he said.