By Tara Fischer

Staff Writer

Officials said a potential and controversial cell phone tower is still possible for Ocean Pines, yet the project is still in its earliest stages.

At the community’s Saturday, Feb. 22, board of directors meeting, Ocean Pines Police Chief Tim Robinson updated the neighborhood on the poor reception alleviation initiative. Robinson said he is part of the “driving committee” to try and find a solution to abysmal cell phone service but that any leads for a cell phone tower are “still in the talking phase.”

“We’ve done nothing more than talk to people on the telephone about what is possible and what are the best options,” Robinson said.

The chief said he has spoken to “multiple contractors,” around three, besides Milestone Towers, a vendor referenced at previous meetings. None of these companies have completed a site visit. According to Robinson, this could happen in the future, but currently, officials are simply discussing what is possible regarding reception remediation, like constructing a tower.

“Once we have a better idea of where we’re going, we will hopefully be doing a nice presentation for everybody to see,” the police chief said. “We are going to be very transparent with this.”

A possible cell phone tower project was first discussed among community leaders publicly at a September OPA Board of Directors meeting. The idea was a new tower could improve slow cell phone reception in the wooded neighborhood, particularly during holiday weekends and large gatherings.

“I realized it was an issue, especially when I could not make phone calls to my wife from the grocery store on July 4 weekend,” Robinson said in September. “I was getting no signal. In all seriousness, what worried me the most was if someone had to call 911, which was their only opportunity, they could not get through. If there is no signal, you cannot get through.”

In November, Robinson said Ocean Pines had communicated with Milestone Towers, a potential cell phone tower contractor.

The chief noted that if an agreement was signed, the partner would put up a tower at its expense and ensure all the necessary permits were obtained. He added Milestone Towers has built sites at three Wicomico County high schools.

“If it is all good, once we sign the contract, [Milestone Towers] will pay a one-time fee prior to building the tower, plus it will be a monthly 40% revenue share for Ocean Pines,” Robinson said at the time.

Officials said at the November board meeting the project was in the preliminary phase and no contract had been signed or negotiated. Last week, officials continued to emphasize the initiative is still in the talking stage, and they have had conversations with possible contractors outside of Milestone Towers.

At a board meeting in January, officials clarified the project’s status in response to community chatter.

During last month’s gathering’s public comments portion, resident Dave Tanner criticized the potential construction, inciting strong clarification from community leaders that no concrete plan is in place for a cell site.

“The Ocean Pines board needs to put an immediate halt to discussions with a contractor to erect a tower in our community,” Tanner said. “Folks chose to live in Ocean Pines because of its natural beauty and the assurance that no commercial structures will be built in the neighborhood. Cell towers degrade property values and may have radio frequency health issues.”

OPA Board President Stuart Lakernick addressed Tanner’s statements, arguing that, “There is no planned construction; there is no planned site. The only thing our chief decided to look into was the safety issue of getting through to 911. If you can’t call 911 without service, it is a safety issue. But at this time, there is absolutely no planned construction, no site, no contractor.”

Officials last week continued to maintain an Ocean Pines cell phone tower may or may not be constructed and that any definitive moves are still far out. However, they are talking about what is possible to address the poor reception.

Robinson also addressed rumors that any tower would be “gargantuan and massive.” If the structure were to be completed, the chief said it would be discreet.

“One thing I want to be clear is that nobody is more cognizant than I am of the beauty and the view of Ocean Pines…,” he said. “Some companies we’re talking about can look to see how [a tower] can be disguised or camouflaged, so we are very cognizant of any possibilities we are doing, and I want to stress that that is where we’re at right now.”