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Town to establish cell tower in Nucla

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The Town of Nucla held a regular town meeting on Jan. 23, and then on the agenda was discussion of a cell tower in Nucla. Citizens should note this is not the proposed cell tower in Redvale that has been debated the last few months. The proposed Redvale cell tower has not been recommended by the Montrose County Planning Department, and Montrose County Commissioners are nearly ready to make the final decision on this Feb. 12.

For a different cell tower, the Town of Nucla has leased property to a company, one based in Florida, called Vertical Bridge. The 50-year lease is set for 150 Grand Ave. in Nucla, by the town’s shop on the Nucla Hill, and the tower will be 100 feet tall. 

Jane Thompson, long-time local and president of the Rimrocker Historical Society, is more than displeased. She attended last week’s town board meeting to express her feelings. Not only will the tower affect her views, since it would be across from her property, she said nobody knew about the tower or had a chance to give feedback. She also said there are history pieces that neither the company, nor the town, is aware of, regarding Nucla Hill. 

Thompson has already read details about the cell tower contract that trouble her. She said the 50-year lease cannot be cancelled, and the company leasing the property will have the right to install any additional equipment they wish, including buildings, solar energy devices and other electrical equipment. Fences could also be put up. Thompson said access is 24/7 for the company, and they can also sell or transfer the lease to another entity. 

More than anything, though, Thompson feels sad that nobody let her know of the construction, or asked her feelings about it.

Did Nucla citizens know about the tower?

According to town documents, town board members were discussing the tower as early as Jan. 25, 2023. Other meetings occurred in April, November and December of 2023. In May of 2024, there was further discussion of a lease from Vertical Bridge for a cell tower to be placed at the brush dump and gun range. The town had done a site walk and had legal advice, but things were quiet for six months. In October, there was discussion of putting the cell tower by the town’s shop, the current location. All were in favor, and a contract was signed Oct. 23. 

But, Thompson said her concern is nobody she knows recalls seeing advertisements about the cell tower, neither in the Forum nor online. Apparently, there have been fliers posted in Nucla Town Hall. 

Town official expresses remorse

While Town Manager Melissa Lampshire is on vacation this week, the Forum spoke with Nucla Trustee Paula Brown. Brown said trustees are not avoiding transparency. She said very few people have attended town board meetings the last few years, and many meetings have had no citizen participation. She said the cell tower has been on several agendas, and that’s because sometimes it’s been tabled for further negotiation. 

Brown said the lease for the Nucla tower was signed at the end of December, or early January, and it cannot be undone. She said the hill was chosen, since the town’s shop is there, and the town owns that property. Additionally, there’s already an NNTC cell tower there too on site.

The Forum asked about why town officials decided to do the deal with Vertical Bridge at all and if the lease income, $50,000, was helpful. Brown agreed the cell tower revenue can help the town with matching grants in the future, and she said the community has the right to the best cell service and choice. 

Brown said she agreed the communication could’ve been better with citizens. She said town representatives did speak with landowners when the new Nucla school needed alleys vacated. Town representatives made sure people were OK with that decision then. She said looking back, the town could’ve done the same in this situation for the cell tower, and she said Thompson is probably the closest person to the property.

“I own what I think we could’ve done better,” Brown told the Forum Sunday. 

Brown said the town board was not trying to “not be transparent.” She said she doesn’t want to see the community any further divided than it already has been over current issues. 

“We are sorry, and we will do better,” she said on behalf of the board. 

Improving communication

The Forum asked if the town could start posting notices in the newspaper for the public, or use social media to circulate such information, like public meetings on issues that justify feedback. The Forum could share these with citizens. Additionally, the Forum has requested meeting agendas be sent directly to the editor, so the editor can stay abreast of issues up for discussion. 

The Forum two weeks ago requested a Zoom option in order to have the capability of attending meetings remotely to take notes.

Brown said trustees could do those things, and she said trustees had discussed the Zoom option at the last town meeting. She said they planned to take the Zoom idea to the town attorney.

Editor’s note: After some research, it appears the Jan. 8 edition of the Forum did run a legal in fine print about a “100’ monopole” to be placed at 150 Grand Ave. in Nucla. The Forum apologizes for not reading its own fine print more carefully for this issue, and for not finding out that it was a cell tower 100 feet tall.