Nassau County Residents file law suit seeking $100,000,000.00 in Punitive Damages against the Town of Hempstead; NextG Networks, Inc and Metro PCS also named in suit
 
(Hempstead, N.Y.) – A group of Nassau County residents lead by the Merrick Gables Association, Inc., filed a law suit in the New York State Supreme Court in Nassau County against The Town of Hempstead (TOH), NextG Networks, Inc, NextG Networks of NY, Inc, Metro PCS Corp, Metro PCS Wireless Inc, and Metro PCS 144, Inc. The residents are claiming unconstitutional taking, fraud, breach of contract, negligence and nuisance. 
 
The TOH was served with legal papers on Friday August 21, 2009 by Legal Council Glenn L. Stephenson of Glenn Stephenson and Associates, P.C.
 
“The Town of Hempstead has acted in an irresponsible manner, causing the value of a persons’ property to diminish,” said Stephenson. “We are seeking for a day in court to prove that the Town of Hempstead, Metro PCS, and Next G Networks, violated the fifth and fourteenth amendments of the United States Constitution.”           
 
The Merrick Gables Association and a group of residents are seeking punitive damages in the amount of $100,000,000.00, and for the immediate stoppage of the installation of personal wireless service facilities like cellular telephone antennas.
 
“This lawsuit is about the safety and well being of our community,” said Derek Donnelly President of the Merrick Gables Association.  “We are a group of individuals that are coming together to protect our town and private property from corporations and town officials who have abused their positions. We will no longer allow the Town of Hempstead to ignore the communities environmental and legal rights.”  
 
The Merrick Gables Association, and residents have received a large amount of support from the community and elected officials such as Legislator Dave Denenberg. “Since I found out that NextG, on behalf of Metro PCs, was installing cell antennas on town right-of-ways throughout the Town of Hempstead, I have objected to the lack of public notice, participation, and town permits and approvals in this process, said Legislator Denenberg. “It is no wonder that those who woke up one morning to find a cell antenna in front of their home are taking action against those responsible.”
 
The Merrick Gables Association is a homeowners association in the unincorporated Village of Merrick,  Mr. John Stadlmeyer, and Mr. Nikolaos Takmopoulos among the residents who own properties in Merrick, NY,  on which a distributed antenna system has been installed.