Wyandotte School Board addresses 5G tower, still no word on an official turn on date
WAYNE COUNTY, MICH. (CBS DETROIT) - The frustrations continue in the City of Wyandotte concerning the T-Mobile 5G antenna placed on a tower at Washington Elementary School.
Tuesday's school board meeting in Wyandotte proved to be an emotional one. Parents, residents, and even students explained why the 5G tower shouldn't be on school property.
Though addressing the tower was not on Tuesday's agenda, Wyandotte School Board President, Cynthia Kinney quickly addressed the elephant in the room.
"As fiduciaries and financial stewards of the district, the board is bound to act in a way that will not violate any existing contractual agreements which may subject the district to financial liability and ultimately take money out of the classrooms," Kinney said.
Kinney's statement resulted in a burst of laughter from the crowd. Following her statement, countless residents gave their take on the situation.
Many residents allege that the public was never made aware that this tower was being proposed in 2018.
"Those cell phone towers not only affect the children who parents can take from the district but we are neighbors in homes that live in that neighborhood and we can't easily pick ourselves up and leave," one neighbor told the board.
The contract with T-Mobile was approved during the summer of 2018. The construction delays mostly from the pandemic halted the construction of the antenna.
Tuesday's meeting also saw the youth of Wyandotte share their take on the antennas placement.
"I want you to know, how many lives you are putting at risk and all of the staff you are putting at risk. So, I ask you please to make the right decision," one Washington Elementary School student said.
Though the meeting never addressed the issues surrounding the tower head, one board member let residents know that he plans to take action.
Board member, Frank Tarowski said, "I was elected by you guys and I will fight for you guys."
Also at the meeting was Rep. Jim DeSana. The representative tells CBS News Detroit he plans to introduce a bill that would prohibit the placement of cell phone towers on school buildings or within 100 yards of a school building.
CBS News Detroit has reached out to Michigan's state superintendent to get a better understanding of their office's role in the situation. We'll be sure to continue providing updates as warranted.