Councillors seek more information on new emergency call center radio tower

By Barbara Taormina

The Revere City Council voted to support Ward 4 Councillor Paul Argenzio’s motion to request a meeting with the city’s chief of Planning & Community Development and the project manager for the redevelopment of the McKinley School to discuss the construction of a 145-foot radio tower as part of the Regional Emergency Communication Center (RECC). Argenzio said he hoped to get the project tabled until the team can explain how the tower was not presented as part of the project. Before voting, councillors expressed their frustration with the lack of information they had been given about the project, particularly the tower.

In the spring, the council voted to approve a municipal agreement with Winthrop and Chelsea to establish a regional 911 call center at McKinley. Chelsea had decided to join the regional center, which increased the amount of state grant money available to renovate the McKinley School and decrease the amount municipalities would need to pay for operations. The call center will share the space at McKinley with an early childhood education center that will accommodate 200 children. There will also be several City of Revere offices at McKinley. But back in March, there was no mention of a 145-foot tower next to the school.

“This was not a decision made without careful consideration,” said Planning and Development Director Tom Skwierawski, adding that a lot of thought and effort went into planning the center. “We tried to find other sites in Winthrop and Revere but to no avail. This was the best site we found to fulfill a critical public safety need for the city and the region.”

But that explanation did little to quell councillors’ frustration.

“I was not informed,” said Councillor-at-Large Anthony Zambuto.” I voted for something I never would have voted for. I know how important the RECC center is. When you say, ‘A lot of thought went into this,’ where the hell was it that we were going to put in a 150-foot tower — nowhere. I don’t care how much thought and how much effort was put into this. This is blindsiding us. I’m looking to kill it.”

Other councillors were also upset that they were not told about the tower when they first voted to approve the project. “When we approved this, the size of the tower was not put before us,” said Ward 3 Councillor Anthony Cogliandro.

“It’s important to make sure we are making informed decisions,” said Councillor-at-Large Michelle Kelley. “I have a big problem with this.”

Councillors raised concerns about the health and safety of the neighborhood and those who will be working in the building. Kelley recalled the tornado that ripped through Revere back in 2014 and said in inclement weather the tower might pose a risk to nearby homes. And she questioned what effect the tower would have on property values.

Ward 1 Councillor Joanne McKenna reminded fellow councillors that they had banned 5G antennas because of concerns that an antenna on top of the fire station was making firefighters sick. “This can’t be shoved down our throats,” said McKenna. “We need to protect people and the neighborhood. We need a lot more study on this.”

Several councillors noted that a tower that size would dramatically change the landscape of the McKinley neighborhood and the entire city.

Skwierawski said the tower was needed to reach areas of Chelsea and Winthrop and to provide redundancy for the system. He said the tower gets thinner as it gets higher and there are no attachments or antennas above 100 feet.

Councillors had questions about alternative options, such as placing the tower in a different location, such as Reservoir Avenue.

“I can’t figure out why there aren’t other options available to us,” said Ward 6 Councillor Chris Gianinno.

City Council President Marc Silvestri asked if the tower could be erected on the roof of the school. But Skwierawski said that would mean a serious redesign and it would look strange and take away from the grandeur of the building.

Kelley asked if the city planned to lease space on the tower. Skwierawski said that wasn’t the goal. “It’s intended to serve public safety,” he said.