Marpe issued a statement Wednesday, saying he was "surprised and disappointed" about the test balloon.
He said he contacted AT&T, which was also reportedly unaware of the test. AT&T told him that the company, North Atlantic Towers, had gone ahead with the test plans.
“While the formal application to the Connecticut Siting Council has not been filed, nor has the required technical report been submitted to the town, North Atlantic Towers apparently intends to do this preliminary balloon test," Marpe said in a release. "Working with the neighbors, I will still be pressing AT&T and North Atlantic Towers to pursue other locations and technologies that are better suited for the town and this neighborhood.”
A pair of test balloons will be floated June 3, weather permitting, at 110 feet and 150 feet at the proposed site at 92 Greens Farms Road. Rain dates of June 4 and June 5 are planned as backups.
The proposed tower would be 110 feet. The higher balloon at 150 feet is used as a reference point for the company, according to a release.
A group of neighbors on Greens Farms Road have joined the opposition, organizing a petition against the cellphone tower, which currently has 135 signatures.
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