Sticks and Stones

T-Mobile - Stick Together

What does THAT mean? I think they mean that if you use their service, you'll be able to stay close to your dear ones. But the people in Yamhill County might have a different idea these days.

Yamhill County is Oregon's wine country, famous for outstanding Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. There are beautiful rolling hills and vineyards, orchards, and farms. T-Mobile decided they needed a new tower to help their customers stick together, and contracted with a land owner to plop a tower on his property where it would stick out like a sore thumb, or um, finger, according to one County Commissioner, who is a very dear one to me. Maybe the slogan should be changed to Stick It.

All three commissioners were in solidarity on this one, a rare event. They originally denied approval for the 120 foot tower on aesthetic and technical grounds. There were several alternative sites, with trees that could make the thing less obvious, but no, that wasn't what T-Mobile wanted. Silly commissioners, they felt that TM had failed to show that siting the tower on land zoned exclusively for agricultural use was "necessary for public service". People even drove around testing their reception along that stretch of road, and found they had no interrupted service. Incredibly, Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals said that information wasn't relevant. Hello???? Can you hear me now????? Unfortunately, the state law and LUBA allowed no wiggle room for the county, and the commissioners HAD to approve it.

The quote of the year was highlighted on a McMinnville News Register front page story inset: "You put a tower right there with hardly any covering, you might as well paint a fingernail on the top of it because basically, you're flipping off every single neighbor up there." I'm so proud of my little sister. Now THERE's the Straight Talk Express. Take that T-Mobile. Now EVERYONE in Yamhill county will think of your lack of community concern when they see your tower. Really good for business.