More About the Recent Town Council Meeting

The first resident to speak about her disappointment that the cell tower would likely be going in was soft-spoken and respectful. Near the end of her remarks, she voiced a troubling concern: that Red Hawk, because it includes low- and moderate-income housing, might be receiving less respect and consideration than other neighborhoods. Then the timer dinged, and she sat down.

Mayor Bruno’s response followed. (Yes, Mayor, it absolutely was a response.) “I have something to say. It’s not a response to the comments but I do want to say, I’m not going to listen to people talk about us doing this because it’s a low income neighborhood. That never came up. It’s not. It’s a market-price neighborhood. It’s like any other neighborhood in the town and I’m not going to listen to that so just fair warning. Thank you.”

There were so many better ways the mayor could have responded. She could have asked, “Do you really feel that way? Do you believe the Town Council, or anyone in this community, respects Red Hawk less because it includes low- and moderate-income housing? Does anyone else share that concern?” She could have assured residents that the Council does not consider a neighborhood less worthy because of the people who live there, and expressed regret that anyone might feel otherwise.

Then she could have explained how the potential tower sites were selected, what factors guided those decisions, and whether the process had anything to do with the neighborhood’s housing mix. If the resident’s perception was based on a misunderstanding, accurate information could have helped clarify it. If the concern had some basis, the Council could have addressed that, too.

There could have been dialogue—or, at the very least, a promise of dialogue. Even saying nothing in the moment and following up in writing would have been vastly better than what happened.

A resident expressed a sincere concern about whether her neighborhood was being treated fairly. The mayor could have listened, asked questions, offered reassurance, or committed to looking into the matter. Instead, she warned that she was “not going to listen” to that concern.

A mayor does not have to agree with every resident’s perception. But surely listening to a resident’s feelings and taking the time to understand them is part of the job. How can a community resolve a concern when the person in a position to address it signals that she will not even hear it?

Friday morning, I emailed Mayor Bruno the following:

“Mayor Bruno, I would like to offer you the opportunity to, perhaps, expound on or explain or make more gracious your statement at the Wednesday, TC meeting, where you said, “[quoted her as in 2nd paragraph of this article]. Because you are so dismissive of The Springdale Sun, I expect you will not take me up on that offer, but perhaps, then, you could email residents or use the next town newsletter. If you would like to re-listen to what you said, it’s at time stamp 29:12 and just over 20 seconds long. I sincerely hope you’ll let me publish whatever you would like to say about this issue. I would publish it exactly as you write it - no editing, and no editorial comments. Also, if I misunderstood anything you said, please let me know. Regards, Elizabeth Cutler”

I received her usual answer to my many emails which is no response at all. One can hope she will have some mollifying explanation at some point somewhere.

And now, the Atlas Tower.

It is clear that no one in Red Hawk wants that 70-foot cell tower, and that residents’ concerns are thoughtful, deeply felt, and firmly held. The public comments conveyed not only dismay but, for some, a sense of betrayal. They also revealed a community standing in admirable solidarity, joined by concerned “neighbors” who don’t even live near Red Hawk.

The most constructive response would be a commitment to hold a public hearing or town hall-style meeting where residents could engage in meaningful two-way communication with Town officials. Such a meeting would give everyone an opportunity to ask questions, hear explanations, and have their concerns genuinely considered. With advance written notice, all residents would have a fair opportunity to participate and all legal requirements adhered to.

But here we are with a contract signed to start the process of putting in a 70 foot tower.

There are some things that cannot be undone. Was it the public’s fault for not paying enough attention? That was the implication of the “fact sheet” the Town sent out. Was it the Town’s fault for not being more graphic in their description of what could be coming, failing to mail information to the most-impacted residents, and using a flawed survey (more on that next week)?

Let us all acknowledge our oversights, slap ourselves on the wrist, and move forward. And, hopefully, learn from those mistakes. Yes, I admit it, I’m mostly looking at you, Town Council. I suppose it’s inevitable that you’re mostly looking at us.

Brainstorming to see what steps could be taken to help Atlas Towers see that a 70 foot cell tower is not in their best interest might help. Apparently Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is an option that might completely negate tower usage. Atlas is not going to build something that will not be financially viable fir them.

One of the comments in the survey taken about what citizens wanted in regards to cell coverage suggested VoIP. It would be valuable to know if the Town did any research about that and what they learned.

Could not the Mayor approach Atlas and tell them the town is going down the VoIP road and their tower will be a relic. Just tell them that out of the goodness of her heart so they don’t jump through hoops doing a potential three-year study to end up deciding at the end of that long road not to build the tower. Communicating with outside entities is definitely one of Mayor Bruno’s strengths.

I am one person with one possible approach to try but if we gathered together, particularly inviting experts, some of whom live among us, more and better options would be bound to emerge. I cannot imagine Town Council members want a 70 foot tower in their backyards, which means, they do not want it in Red Hawk’s backyard either. Are we not unified in that?

Is it too late? I do not know but it is undisputedly too late if we throw our hands up in the air and try nothing. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”