PHILLIPS — How Phillips could pursue getting a cell tower to have coverage for the downtown area was discussed by the Phillips Revitalization Committee last week.

The committee also heard a request from local artist Saskia Reinholt to support a $50,000 grant application that she hopes to submit to the Maine Arts Commission.

Reinholt said letters of intent with support are due in late February, and she’s hoping to get the support from area towns to pursue the grant to promote local artists. It’s too early to explain how the details would work, she said.

The committee had requested input from Scott Schroeder, a part-time Phillips resident with expertise in cell technology. He explained that locating a tower on the highest peak is not always the best option because of a shadowing effect, which causes signals to bounce over peaks and not be available in the adjacent valleys.

For example, he said a tower on the top of Saddleback (impossible because of the Appalachian Trail) would not necessary provide coverage to the Phillips downtown area because of shadowing. There would be coverage in part of the town, but not the downtown, he said.

If the town is interested in aggressively pursuing a cell tower being located in the town, he said the town needs to make sure there are no like zoning ordinances prohibiting tall towers, and show that the town is overwhelming in support of a cell tower in the community.

He pointed out cell companies tend to look at continuity when constructing towers. There is a tower in Strong, but coverage drops off before getting to the Avon/Phillips line. Putting a tower in an area that would provide as much coverage from that drop off point up Route 4 towards Rangeley would most likely get the most attention.

While there are a number of places that would provide the height for cell service, he said the best location for continuous service would be in the Scammon Ridge area.

Committee members have cited poor cell service as a barrier to attracting business to the community. Poor service also was one of the factors causing Franklin County officials to pretty much discount locating the dispatch center in the vacant section of the old elementary school, now home to the town office.