Truesdale city leaders expressed significant reservations last week over a proposal to install a 480-foot radio tower near a residential area.

The East Central Broadcasting company is seeking to establish the tower in a 5-acre field off of Veterans Memorial Parkway, behind the Hart Collision repair shop. The site is also about 500-600 feet from Belaire Trailer Park and about 1,000 feet from the Dieckman Farms subdivision, leading some city aldermen to express safety concerns.

Truesdale city ordinance caps the height of broadcasting towers at 200 feet. Any higher requires permission from the board of aldermen.

Company representative William Moir said the tower would be used to broadcast a local talk radio station. At 500 feet, the tower would be able to broadcast across multiple counties, Moir said. He explained that a smaller tower won’t meet their broadcasting requirements.

The site selected for the tower is considered a flood plain for a nearby creek, making it a great place to build a tower and not much else, Moir commented. The tower itself would have a slim profile and not be an eyesore, he added.

If approved, Moir said construction on the tower would likely begin in August and be done by September.

Aldermen Robert Green and Jerry Cannon expressed fears that such a tall tower could pose a risk to nearby homes if it ever collapsed due to severe weather.

“My house isn’t very far from there. I don’t know if I’d want a giant tower right behind my house,” Green commented. “I just don’t think it’s safe.

Green and Cannon appeared to be using smart devices to look up video and articles about radio tower collapses mid-discussion, using those as evidence to oppose the proposed location. Moir sought to reassure the aldermen that the tower will be over-engineered to prevent collapse.

“We’re going to reinforce the guy (wires), suspension and concrete bases as if it were a 1,000-foot tower,” Moir said. “We’re building a heavy tower and base to make sure it’s not going to go anywhere. We’re taking every precaution to be 150-percent sure, because it’s our liability.”

Even if the tower does fall, guy-wires attached to multiple points will prevent it from toppling over like a tree, Moir explained. Instead, the tower would be held in one location and collapse in place.

Alderman Mike Thomas, who works for the KWRE/KFAV radio station in Warrenton, said he won’t participate in any final vote on the tower proposal, but asked for the board to seek public feedback before making a decision.  His fellow aldermen agreed.

A public listening session will be held at 5 p.m. June 9 at Truesdale City Hall.