The placement of a Telus Communication has caused the ire of one Cranbrook resident. Monica Walshe wrote to council saying that the placement of the green box has obstructed the view from her home looking out across the Cranbrook Gold Course. Her letter appeared in the June 23 council package.
"After 12 years I now have a view of Telus's wonderful green communication box smack dab in the middle of my front room window," Walshe wrote. "I have since found that the City of Cranbrook's Engineering Department gives Telus permission to place their boxes where ever they decide to on city land as it is in the bylaw guidelines."
Walshe said as a tax payer, she should be afforded some say in the matter, noting that had the box been placed 40 feet to the right, it would not have obstructed their view.
She suggested that people affected should be consulted first, also saying that the city's bylaw governing this should be reviewed.
At the meeting, Mayor Wayne Stetski asked how much flexibility the city actually has the placement of a utility's box.
The city's municipal engineer, Curtis Penson said that according to the bylaw, the box should be in the corners of the property, but because the box is on the other side of the street, on the golf course size, the distance probably lead to the decision to put it there.
He said likely the distance made it unfeasible for Telus to put it on the corner.
"The question I'm asking and the question they're asking is do we have the authority to tell Telus to move it 40 feet to the right?" Stetski asked.
"Not for this type of box," Benson said.
Coun. Gerry Warner asked. "Is it not possible for Telus itself to talk to the residents before they install one of these things and take their concerns into consideration," he said.
Staudt said it it is possible.
"Absolutely," Staudt said. "This person has passed this concern to Telus and maybe Telus will be getting in touch with them. I don't know the situation, but I'm sure that financial concerns also come into play."
Stetski suggested sending a letter to Telus, as well as answering Walshe's questions with a letter.
"I'm happy to do that," Stetski said.