Verizon, Tarpon Press for Expedited Review of Complaint Against New York Town

Plaintiffs Verizon and Tarpon Towers II want the U.S. District Court for Northern New York in Albany to rule on their Aug. 8 motion to amend their wireless infrastructure complaint against the town of Saugerties, New York, they wrote U.S. Magistrate Judge Mae D'Agostino in a letter Monday (docket 1:22-cv-00107). Verizon and Tarpon sued Saugerties in early February, alleging the town dragged its feet or unlawfully denied their two applications to build and install wireless facilities in the municipality, in violation of the Telecommunications Act. The court delayed acting on the motion to amend as it awaits the results of settlement talks between the parties. But Saugerties hasn't responded to the plaintiffs’ Sept. 28 settlement offer since their Dec. 9 status conference, Verizon and Tarpon told the judge. They asked her to establish a “date certain” for the town to file its record of proceedings, suggesting Jan. 31 as that deadline. The complaint was initially filed nearly a year ago, and the statute “requires expedited review,” the companies said, pressing their case for an urgent deadline. Saugerties officials didn’t respond to queries Tuesday seeking comment.