County board votes down cell tower site in Shelby

Plans for a new cell phone tower in the town of Shelby have been voted down by the La Crosse County Board. 

The proposed 250-foot tower would handle phone coverage for AT&T and a government network for first responders. 

Board members voted first against delaying the request to get more public comment, then voted 15-7 to turn down a permit for the tower. 

Some people living near the Shelby site are opposed to having a cell tower built at that location. 

The tower plan was approved in committee before going to the full board. One supervisor said opponents of the project did not show up to speak against it at the committee meeting. 

In other county board business, board chair Tara Johnson announced that Noelle Weber Strauss would be nominated to fill the vacant 18th District seat representing Medary and Onalaska.

Laurence Berg recently resigned from the seat, citing health issues.

Strauss is expected to be sworn in at the first county board meeting in July, and would serve until the next board election in April.