SCARBOROUGH – Scarborough officials hope to fix spotty smartphone coverage in town while generating much-needed non-tax revenue by leasing public property for the construction of new cell towers.

At its next meeting, on Feb. 5, the Town Council Ordinance Committee is slated to meet with Ivan Pagacik, of IDK Communications, a consulting firm based in Littleton, Mass. Last summer, the town hired Pagacik to research its wireless needs following multiple complaints from residents about so-called “data holes” in town. According to Town Manager Tom Hall, Pagacik has been looking for those gaps in high-speed data coverage, information that carriers, “for their own selfish interests,” he said, “are unlikely to share.”

The purpose of the study, said Hall, is, “so we can be careful and strategic, to understand where it’s best to locate these facilities and then have an informed discussion around that.”

For his $8,800 fee, Pagacik, who says he is not affiliated with any wireless carrier, reviewed Scarborough’s current ordinances, created a detailed study of where coverage gaps exist in town – the prevailing shortfall reportedly is in high-speed data for smartphones, rather than voice communication – and developed a facilities plan for new towers on town land, each to host multiple providers.

“I don’t think anyone wants to see more of these towers than is necessary, but on town property those towers could be a potential revenue stream for us,” said Hall. “And, I think, societal opinions have now changed because people appreciate cellular connections now more than they ever have, more so than being concerned with the unsightliness of the tower.”

“This is exciting, and something that is very much needed,” said ordinance committee chairwoman Kate St. Clair.

According to Hall, Pagacik brokered a deal for three cell towers in Littleton, Mass., where he is a selectman, that nets that town “roughly $200,000 per year.”

Cell towers are allowed only in Scarborough’s industrial zones. However, last year the council enlarged that zone to an area around Beech Ridge Speedway, bordered by Holmes Road, Two Rod Road and Interstate 95.

Even without any additional zoning changes, Town Planner Dan Bacon has called Scarborough’s ordinances relating to cell towers, “a little bit dated.” Work at the Feb. 5 ordinance committee meeting will likely see the start of an overhaul to that language, said Hall.

Meanwhile, Hall said the town has received an inquiry from an unnamed local company that would like to erect a cell phone tower at the Public Safety Building on Oak Hill.

“We are a bit concerned about putting facilities there not knowing what its long-term future is,” said Hall, referencing plans to move the fire and police departments across Route 1 next to town hall within the next five to seven years. As a compromise, the company has offered to erect a temporary tower at the currently public safety building in exchange for a right-of-first-refusal on building a permanent tower if and when the building jumps the street.

“It’s a single pole, not very pretty to look at if you will,” said Hall. “Clearly what would be in it for us would be lease revenue. It could be significant. There could be as many as four providers on this tower.”

While the Pagacik study will go to the ordinance committee, the public safety tower, if talks progress, will go straight to the full council, said Hall.