Open Records Request Produces 7 of 9 Cell Tower Contracts

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UPDATED INFORMATION IN RED
Walter Woods, communications spokesperson for the DeKalb County School System, turned over electronic versions of 7 of the 9 cell tower contracts per an Open Records Request submitted by Get the Cell Out - Atlanta. 

Interested members of these 7 communities can being reviewing the contract and specs for their school to determine what they are actually gonig to be receiving and where it will go. 

To review these contracts, which were signed in early December by Superintendent Atkinson, you can follow this link:  http://www.scribd.com/collections/3499894/DCSS-Contracts-with-T-mobile-Signed-in-Dec-2011

The biggest concerns upon first glance:

*  There are two leases missing... Lakeside High School and Narvie J. Harris.  How did this happen?  ANSWER:  The Lakeside and Narvie Harris agreements are worked out, but not formally signed off on.

*  There is no mention of any money being paid to the PTAs or Booster Clubs at ANY school.  So, where did that rumor begin and is it another example of a press leak that the board says it is going to stop? 

More questions ...

If Lakeside High School is the one school that started this request in the first place and they are not getting a tower, should the whole deal be considered null and void?  ANSWER:  The Lakeside and Narvie Harris agreements are worked out, but not formally signed off on.

If the contracts were not signed until December 2011, why were T-mobile crews allowed onto school grounds to begin marking trees and performing other tests earlier than they should have been allowed? 

If the PTAs will actually be receiving a payout of money from the school system, then how can they still be considered a "neutral" party in the matter?  Doesn't that create a major conflict of interest if the board is asking them to inform the parents and community about the plans if, at the same time, they are promising them money if the deal goes through?

If the contracts were signed, then the seven schools with agreements should have earned the initial $2K a piece as indicated in the agreement.  Has T-mobile paid this sum and, if so, where did it go?  What will it be spent on? 

More importantly, what will ANY of this cell tower moeny be spent on?  How will this money improve education for our students? 

If DCSS is the one renting its property and T-mobile is the one interested in leasing the space from us, then WHY are we signing THEIR lease?  Shouldn't it be the other way around?

If Lakeside High School wants a cell tower and Briarlake Elementary School does not, why is it that Lakeside High School does not have a signed agreement, but Briarlake Elementary School does?  And since these schools are located so close to one another, is it possible this was the way it was planned to work out all along?  A:  The Lakeside and Narvee Harris agreements are worked out, but not formally signed off on.

Are these the original signed contracts?  If so, doesn't the DCSS Legal Team also have to sign?

Will there be more cell tower contracts to come?  There is no intention by the School District to change or expand cell tower agreements to other schools beyond the nine approved in July.

Will DCSS do a better job of informing the parents and community members the next time or can we expect more of the same?

*  All answers in red above are per an email to GTCO-ATL from Walter Woods, the official communications spokesperson for the DeKalb County School System.  For what it is worth, we are thankful that Walter is on-board as he has made great strides in providing consistent answers on behalf of the school system and has been fairly quick in responding.  Let's hope this open communication is a trend that will continue!