Alders approve five-year license for CT Transit use of East Rock communications tower

The City Services and Environmental Policy Committee on July 2 approved an order authorizing a five-year license allowing the Greater New Haven Transit District (CT Transit) to use a communications facility at East Rock Park. The instrument authorizes the mayor to execute a multiyear agreement amounting to no more than $7,200 per year.

Rebecca Bombard, the city's administrative officer for the communications tower, told the committee the arrangement supports shared use of the site for CT Transit radio repeaters while the city continues to maintain access and 9-1-1 tower infrastructure. "They provide us insurance and indemnity," Bombard said about CT Transit, characterizing the contract as standard city terms and a revenue source for the city.

Committee action: Members moved item 1, adopted a technical amendment to change the term "lease" to "license" throughout the document, and approved the item. The amendment and the item passed by voice vote (ayes carry); the transcript records affirmative votes but does not show a roll-call tally.

What it means: Under the approved authorization, the mayor may execute the five-year license and any ancillary documents needed for the city to receive the annual fee and grant CT Transit the shared use described in the order.

Quotations: "We already maintain the facility for our 9-1-1 towers...they provide us insurance and indemnity," Rebecca Bombard said.