Council approves resolution for assignment of Little Creek cell-tower lease; public hearing yields no comments

The South Charleston City Council held a public hearing and approved a resolution authorizing the mayor to execute a letter of intent for an assignment or purchase of the city’s interest in a land lease for the Little Creek cell-tower site.

Clerk Margie (identified in the meeting record as “Marjorie/Margie”) read the resolution title and the council opened the public hearing. No members of the public spoke during the hearing, and the mayor closed the hearing before the council moved to the resolution.

City staff described the item as a change of ownership: the current lease interest held by Cellco Partnership doing business as Verizon Wireless would be purchased or assigned to a different company identified in the resolution as Wireless PropCo Lehi. Staff characterized the transaction as an assignment in which the incoming company would pay the city a negotiated lump-sum amount rather than continuing monthly payments; the exact payment amount was not specified in the public discussion. Staff also said some arrangements can include revenue sharing but that the negotiated sale in this case did not include a revenue‑sharing structure.

Council received the resolution, a motion was made and seconded (the second recorded as by Councilwoman Walker), and the council voted by voice to approve the resolution. The resolution authorizes the mayor to execute the letter of intent and related documents described in the resolution's text.

No public commenters addressed the cell-tower item during the public hearing. The council did not request further public comment and did not add conditions to the authorization during the meeting.

The action was described in the meeting as administrative authorization to move forward with the assignment; any final sale or assignment would proceed under the terms negotiated with the purchaser and in accordance with applicable lease terms and city approvals.