Boat Towers pitches school-site cell towers; board members seek independent safety studies and contract clarity

Pat Tant, CEO of Boat Towers, told the Wilson County Schools board the company has built towers at Mount Juliet High School and Lebanon High School and is proposing sites near Wilson Central High School and Mount Juliet Middle School to address coverage gaps that carriers expect when existing structures are removed in early 2025. "Building the tower is about a 9 to 12 month process," Pat Tant said, adding carriers often ask for temporary cell-on-wheels (COW) deployments to avoid coverage loss.

Board members asked pointed questions about long-term safety and the term of agreements. A board member raised health concerns citing statements from medical organizations, saying nearby base stations ‘‘increase the risk for developing headaches, memory problems, dizziness, depression, sleep problems’’ and pressed whether the district could be held responsible for long-term effects. Tant replied that tower asset owners and wireless carriers must meet federal and state safety standards and that independent EME (electromagnetic emissions) studies are typically performed at site height and distance, noting past studies that measured emissions "thousands of times below the health safety standard." Tant offered to bring a third-party EME consultant for the board.

The board also questioned financial and contract terms. A board member flagged that the proposed structure involves a 5-year lease with multiple 5-year renewals — effectively a 30-year term if all renewals are exercised — and asked whether the district could be locked in beyond current board membership. Tant explained the model: "We sign a ground lease with the landlord ... and we sign a license agreement with the carriers ... once they're there, they really do not want to come off." A board member asked where the $150,000 first-carrier payment figure came from and how fair market value was determined; Tant said compensation is modeled on construction costs and carrier rents for the geographic area and can take forms such as upfront payments or easement fees.

What happens next: Board members asked staff for additional materials, including independent EME studies, opposing expert viewpoints, and detailed lease economics and timelines. No formal motion was made; the presentation and public comments concluded with staff committing to follow-up with the presenter and bring more information to the board.

Sources and provenance: Pat Tant made the presentation during the public-comment/presentation portion (SEG 274–SEG 338 and SEG 371–SEG 499). Board questions and discussion continued through SEG 500–SEG 626. The transcript shows no vote or contract award on this item at this meeting.