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-7 a <br />balloon test. We had, I want to say either two or three calls just asking what we were <br />doing, but no one that I'm aware of called up and was opposed to the tower. <br />Commissioner Halldotis: For future reference, the pictures were basically useless in my <br />opinion. And that's coming from a grumpy, old County Commissioner. We had some <br />clear pictures when we had this same balloon test done at the Inn at Bingham years <br />ago. I would suggest in the future we spend a little more money and get some color <br />photographs. I happened to be driving the_ morning of the test, and the different I saw <br />was the fact that if you're coming down 86 South heading towards the Piedmont office <br />building, you're actually going to see a tower, where now you don't. For a minute there, I. <br />thought that it was a used car dealership that had opened up and I didn't know about it, <br />because they're the ones that usually fly these balloons. But I didn't see it as being <br />onerous. The issue was that the pictures, if you have to put an arrow on a black and <br />white picture showing a black speck as being a balloon amidst a bunch of other specks, <br />that's not a good pictorial representation of the issue. I just wanted to say once again <br />about Piedmont, unlike some other utility companies I have had to serve with some in <br />the past, Piedmont repairs their lights when the weather is still rather nasty and foul, as <br />evidenced out in my neck of the woods awhile back, a storm hadn't abated, and your <br />people were already out there getting the service back on. So I appreciate that. I would <br />find it difficult to vote against you guys because you're almost like an apple a day. I have <br />no difficulty voting against Progress Energy. You, I respect, they, I don't. <br />Michelle Kempinsld: I heard Craig Benedict mention that there was the potential for co- <br />location for other service providers. Is that a possibility for this tower, or this completely a <br />private tower? <br />Robin Blanton: No ma'am, the tower was constructed to allow co- location, because <br />that's one of the things that Piedmont was hoping to do and if a cell phone company <br />wants to locate on the tower, that's a source of revenue for Piedmont. So, it will be <br />allowed and encouraged. <br />Michelle Kempinsld: So the only known co- location is this location- now? <br />Robin Blanton: The Highway Patrol is actively pursuing co- locations on local towers <br />throughout the State for their 800 megahertz radio system to improve radio <br />communication of emergency personnel. <br />Jay Bryan:7hank you, sir. Is there anyone else on behalf of Piedmont Electric that wants <br />to speak? None. Is there a further presentation from the staff? <br />Craig Benedict: If there's anybody that has signed up in agreement or against it, they can <br />speak at this time. <br />Jay Bryan: Is there anyone from the public who wishes to address this item, the tower for <br />Piedmont Electric? <br />Commissioner Gordon: I just want to reinforce the comment about the balloon test. It isn't <br />really just the report that I am concerned with, which for me is hard to fathom,-but the <br />time of day of the test. I'm not saying that. Piedmont Electric didn't comply, but our rules <br />should be amended so that there's more publicity, in order for people to know that this is <br />going to happen <br />