The Village of South Jacksonville says that AT&T may be confused about easements when it comes to erecting a new cellphone tower just off of West Vandalia.
The village approved zoning for the new tower to be built earlier this summer. AT&T and Illinois Power have sent the village paperwork over proposed easements to the property.
Village Attorney Rob Cross says he is sitting in on a conference call with AT&T next week to hear any possible problems: “We sent a letter to AT&T on Thursday and got a direct response. I think we are set to talk with AT&T sometime on Wednesday [September 13th]. The issue about the easements for this proposed property is owned by Illinois Power, so they have to grant the easements. So, AT&T has to reach out to Illinois Power.”
Cross says that there isn’t any need for concern that the project might be delayed.
Village President Dick Samples says it’s not really the village’s problems because the village already made it clear that they didn’t need to grant any easements: “These easements have nothing to do with the Village of South Jacksonville. The easements that they want all are on the Ameren/Illinois Power thing, and with the exception of two of the easements, which they were putting that on us about 7-8 feet over onto our property. If [the village board] remembers, I specifically said ‘We’re not going to do this. You’ve got this whole area to put up whatever you need to on the property, but we’re not digging up our concrete.’ AT&T is not going to come in and put what they want to on us.”
Cross assured the Village Board of Trustees that it is likely a misunderstanding and should all be cleared up in the conference call on Wednesday. Samples says he will be sitting in on the conference call to make sure the village’s position on everything is clear.
Samples says the only involvement the village will have in the project moving forward is offering a curb cutting for right of way access to the street.