Possession Point cell tower critic hits 500 signature mark

An opponent of an AT&T cell phone tower on Possession Point has garnered 500 signatures on a petition against the proposal.

An opponent of an AT&T cell phone tower on Possession Point has garnered 500 signatures on a petition against the proposal.

Clyde Monma, a South End resident who lives near the proposed site of the cell tower, has said the construction of the tower will pose environmental problems and will lower nearby property values.

The battle over building a cell tower on the port’s property, the Dorothy Cleveland Trail, has raged for several years. A private buyer was sought for the 14-acre property, but offers were rejected and retracted.

A lease was signed by the three port commissioners and sent to AT&T in late 2011. Now, the port is waiting for the countersignature to make the contract binding.

Port commissioners have yet to see a copy of the petition, as well.

“He came in at the last meeting and claimed that he had 500 signatures. We asked our port clerk for a copy of the signatures, but he got up and said he’d forward them later,” said Port Commissioner Curt Gordon.

“At this point, no signatures whatsoever have been turned over to the Port of South Whidbey,” Gordon said.

“We’ve asked for copies in the last two meetings. Both times, he would not submit the copies to us, and still hasn’t,” he added.