Can you hear me now? Perhaps not.

Verizon is scrambling to fill a future coverage gap in cell phone service along Sunrise Highway in Massapequa Park when its cell phone antennas are scheduled to be removed from the Massapequa Water Tower in 2012.

Of course, there is some disagreement as to where the new cellular communications tower will go.

Multiple sites were discussed at the Village Board meeting Jan. 25: 5020 Sunrise Highway, Destiny Plaza on top of a commercial building, Kitcherer Yard on Chestnut Street in East Massapequa or – if Verizon has its way – tower now located in front of Village Hall.

As it is, there are three cell phone companies using the cell phone tower – disguised as a flag pole at Village Hall. Verizon would like to widen the pole, to allow for three more carriers, including themselves, which would bring the total to six cell phone carriers.

Mayor Jim Altadonna says that proposal is not a good idea.

“People have accepted it (the three-carrier pole), but we don’t want to overburden them with something new,” he said.

(In 2001, Altadonna defeated incumbent Mayor Camillo Giannattasio in a race that largely centered around the controversy generated by the Giannattasio administration’s decision to install the tower.)

At the meeting last month, Verizon’s lawyer was visibly frustrated, explaining that Verizon didn’t even want to leave the Massapequa Water Tower, which supplies ideal coverage. But its lease will not be renewed in 2012, said Attorney Alfred Amato.

The Commissioner of the Massapequa Water District explained that the lease will not be renewed because the cell phone company had intefered with the maintenance of the water tower. The Water District prepared to paint the water tower: an important job when you consider that the tank is made of steel, and steel must be protected from water damage by being maintained and painted, commented Frank Flood, commissioner of the Massapequa Water District.

But to paint the tower’s exterior, Verizon would have had to temporarily remove their antennas from the water tower legs. According to Flood, Verizon wanted to install a tower so it would not lose coverage in the interim. This was deemed inappropriate by the district because the site is located in a residential neighborhood. The disagreement landed the parties in court, and the water district lost its case in July, 2008.

Along with losing the lawsuit, the Water District lost $100,000 in legal fees, but vowed to give Verizon and the other carriers -- AT&T and T-Mobile -- the boot.

“When we ascertained that by signing a lease agreement that we lost our rights to paint the tank, we were surprised and decided not to renew our leases,” said Flood.

Verizon’s lease will end in 2012 and the other carriers will be terminated in 2019. While the district will lose about $200,000 in income it currently receives from the telecommunications companies annually, Flood said it is a decision that is in the best interest of the district and its water consumers.

That amount “pales when you consider legal fees,” Flood said. “Yeah, we get money, but then to turn around and spend it in court, is not right.”

Theantennas for the Nassau County Police will remain on the tower, although the Water District has declined to sign a lease with them. Instead, they want a simpler agreement that would allow the district more flexibility. That agreement is pending. Residents near Destiny Plaza also did not want the 12 cell phone antennas and equipment near them. Thecurrent Verizon plan consists of erecting equipment on a roof top, and then surrounding it with panels designed to blend in with the commercial building.

Hugh Byrne, whose house is 100 feet from the site, left work four hours early just to come to the board meeting. Byrne doesn’t want the antennas to go up, citing health concerns, a decline in property values as well as unpleasing aesthetics for the neighborhood. “I would be looking right at it (the antennas) from my kids’ bedrooms,” Byrne said. Although Byrne has Verizon on his cell phone, he said, “I am sure they can find a better way to fix their coverage gap.”

According to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Village would not be able to deny an application based on health concerns.

Thisupset Mildred Falvo, a resident, who doesn’t believe we know the longterm effects of cell towers yet, since it is a relatively new technology. “They don’t know,” commented Falvo, who attended the meeting that night. “Look at smoking. No one knew how bad it was for you. Nobody knows what’s going to happen down the line.”

“I am concerned about the tower going up on that building; it (the building) is already enough of an eyesore,” said Mike Critchley, a nearby resident. “It’s an even worse view now -- in the winter -- when the leaves are off the trees. I can’t imagine that adding antennas there will be good for property values.”

Mayor Altadonna has recommended an alternate location at Kitcherer Yard on Chestnut Street. Verizon will consider this new site.

The meeting will be continued; a date has not been set. Thenext board meeting will be Mon., Feb. 22 at 8 p.m. (Not Wed., Feb. 24, as previously announced.)