Huntington to be paid $92G by telecom company

Huntington town officials have settled a claim with a telecom company that installed 50 pieces of unauthorized equipment in various locations around Huntington.

Pennsylvania-based Crown Castle NG East LLC installed the equipment on utility poles throughout the town that acted as amplifiers for cell phone signals. They did that without getting the necessary Town Board permission for the installation on town right of ways, officials said.

Crown Castle will pay the town $92,005.28 for retroactive use of town right of ways. The town will receive 5 percent of future monthly gross revenue for 10 years for the equipment that was placed in the town right of ways. Those pieces of equipment will remain in place.

Crown Castle will also pay the town $136,322.75 in advance for a 10-year license agreement for use of any town-owned structure used to operate and maintain its antenna system. The money will also go toward allowing Crown Castle to place its equipment in town right of ways.