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Public Works Committee recommends T‑Mobile lease on Middleton water tower despite member questions about escalation and school proximity
Summary
The Middleton Public Works Committee voted to recommend approval of a proposed multi‑year T‑Mobile lease for antennas on a water tower near Northside Elementary School. Staff said the draft lease — $35,000 per year with 12.5% escalation every five years — was reviewed by legal and finance and will go to finance and common council.
The Middleton Public Works Committee voted Sept. 8 to recommend approval of a proposed T‑Mobile lease for equipment on a city water tower located off High Road adjacent to Northside Elementary School. Staff presented a draft, long‑term template lease and asked the committee to forward it to the finance and personnel committee and the common council for final action.
Staff told the committee the site has hosted carrier equipment since 1997 and that T‑Mobile’s prior lease expired in 2024; the carrier has been on one‑year renewals since then. Highlights in the draft lease include an annual rent payment of $35,000 and a rent escalation of 12.5% every five years. The draft also specifies the number of permitted antennas and additional rent for any antennas that exceed that limit. Staff said the city attorney and finance department have reviewed the draft.
Committee members moved and seconded a recommendation to approve and forward the lease. Alder Myers raised concerns that a 12.5% escalation every five years could result in revenue that trails inflation over the term and asked staff to consult the finance director about whether stronger escalation language or alternative terms should be proposed to the carrier. Staff said the terms mirrored prior carrier leases and that they would seek finance’s input before negotiation with T‑Mobile.
A committee member asked whether any safety reviews exist because the tower sits near Northside Elementary School; staff replied they had not seen safety concerns raised in the city’s documents. Committee members also questioned a lease clause that allows the landlord to require a tenant to relocate equipment on the tower once in any 10‑year period at the tenant’s expense; staff and members discussed that such relocations are likely maintenance‑driven (for example, painting) and are expected to be infrequent.
The motion to recommend approval passed after the chair called for ayes; the committee will forward the draft lease and recommendation to the appropriate finance and common council bodies for final consideration.
Next steps: staff said they will consult the finance director about escalation language, then return the negotiated draft to T‑Mobile and advance the item to the finance committee and common council per the committee’s recommendation.
