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Ballston Spa trustees direct carriers to remove equipment from John Street water tank; monopole plan approved
Summary
Trustees approved a resolution requiring carriers to remove communications equipment from the John Street storage tank to allow exterior coating work and authorized the village to work with carriers to construct a permanent monopole off the tank surface.
The Village of Ballston Spa Board of Trustees on April 14 approved a resolution to remove communications equipment from the John Street water storage tank so scheduled exterior coating and rehabilitation work can proceed.
Trustees authorized the mayor to notify leaseholders that the village has determined the leased areas on the tank are needed for water‑supply purposes and required all carrier equipment to be removed from the tank by March 1, 2026. The village also agreed to work with one or more carriers to permit and assist construction of a permanent monopole on a separate parcel; the carriers would bear monopole construction costs and the village indicated it would take ownership of permitting responsibilities.
According to the resolution read into the record, a prior inspection by a tank-services firm recommended interior and exterior rehabilitation and identified damaged coating where antennas and brackets were welded. The construction contract for the tank rehabilitation was awarded to USG Water Solutions; the resolution said that constructing a permanent monopole could eliminate the repeated temporary relocations that have complicated past maintenance and potentially reduce total costs compared with installing a corral on the tank surface.
The board cited an estimate in the resolution that a corral installation could cost about $156,780 while monopole options would likely cost less. The resolution also said an estimated $42,373 in deferred exterior-tank coating costs could be recovered from carriers.
Trustees voted to authorize the mayor to notify carriers of the relocation requirement and to work cooperatively on a monopole solution; the motion carried on a roll call vote.
What this means: Carriers that lease space on the tank will be required to relocate equipment off the tank surface to allow coating work to begin (the resolution authorized an extension of the rehab schedule so exterior coating would start May 1, 2026, to allow time for permitting and monopole construction). The village committed to assist with permitting and to negotiate lease addenda so the village could recover additional construction costs as allowed.
Votes at a glance: Resolution directing removal of equipment from the John Street storage tank and authorizing monopole permitting/coordination — approved (roll-call affirmative).
