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Council Makes The Call

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By JOYCE McKENZIE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 23, 2008

TEMPLE TERRACE - It's an undertaking city officials say has been well worth the wait.

On Jan. 15, the Temple Terrace City Council unanimously approved a lease agreement with Verizon Wireless to fund and install a 150-foot cell tower on 1,305 square feet of city-owned property west of Fire Station No. 1. at 124 Bullard Parkway.

The tower, built to accommodate the city's 20-foot public safety communications antenna and the equipment of up to three additional carriers, will be housed within a 7-foot fence. The 120-foot tower that stands at the site is slated for demolition.

As part of the package, a 230-kilowatt natural gas generator, donated by Verizon and installed by T-Mobile, will be placed next to north wall of the fire station.

The 25-year lease rate starts at $18,000 a year and will increase 4 percent annually. The city also will receive 50 percent or a minimum of $7,500 annually of the revenue generated by the sublease of tower and ground space to each additional carrier.

The lease agreement that has been under negotiation for several years replaces a 1996 contract with PCS Primeco, now Verizon Wireless, in which the city leased 600 square feet on the site for the 120-foot cell tower that also contains the city's communications equipment. The lease rate was $7,500 a year.

"This has been in the works for some time and I think it's a good deal for the city as well as the carriers," said City Manager Kim Leinbach, who anticipates the new tower will be in place by the end of the year.

Fire Chief Keith Chapman also called the agreement an excellent business decision.

"It will bring in an increased and guaranteed revenue stream, and it's just an all-around good project for the city," he said.

Reporter Joyce McKenzie can be reached at (813) 865-4849 or jmckenzie@tampatrib.com.

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