The school system has decided to take a more proactive approach when it comes to allowing telecommunications companies to build monopoles on its property.
Fairfax County Public Schools has entered into a revenue sharing agreement with Milestone Communications to survey all its sites and try to match those sites with telecommunications companies' needs.
"Milestone Communications is surveying every school site for coverage needs. Once they identify the economic feasibility of the location, they will begin talks with the school, parents and the community," said Tom Brady, assistant superintendent of facilities services. "We're being pro-active rather than waiting for communications companies to come to us."
THE POLICY change will not have an impact on the approval process for the monopoles once a site and communications company are paired.
The community will still have an opportunity to comment on the proposed monopole instillation and it will be subject to School Board and county approval.
Milestone, however, will be responsible for holding the public meetings, securing the county approvals, constructing the poles and leasing them to multiple communications companies.
According to the contract, the schools will continue to collect the $2,500 placement fee and 40 percent of the monthly rental fee, of which 15 percent is returned to the school where the pole is located and 25 percent goes into the school system's general fund. The remaining 60 percent of the rental fee goes to Milestone.
Currently monopoles exists at five county high schools, one elementary school and one administrative center.