City council approves National Grid pole to serve 1130 Eastern Ave amid one dissent

Malden City Council voted to approve a National Grid petition to install pole 2903‑1 on Eastern Avenue to provide overhead three‑phase service to 1130 Eastern Ave, an old JRM recycling plant, voting 8–1 with Councilor Ryan O'Malley dissenting.

The vote follows a public hearing during which Zane Juma, the National Grid representative, told the council, “The plan is to install a new pole, pole 2903‑1 on Eastern Avenue to supply power to 1130 Eastern Ave in Malden. The existing pole, 2903, is way too far away from the commercial building to do an overhead service.”

The measure’s backers said the new pole is needed because the property’s planned reuse requires three‑phase service and space for nine meters that will be mounted outside the building. Councilor Cica described the site as “the old JRM recycling plant” and said the pole would allow restoration of that building. National Grid’s representative explained that the developer will place “9 meters on the other side of the building where the point attachment is,” and that the existing single‑phase pole cannot accommodate the clearance needed for the meters.

Opponents questioned whether the existing pole could be upgraded instead of adding another pole across the street. Councilor O’Malley said he “can’t support this tonight” and argued there might be another way to provide service without a new pole. Council members and the National Grid representative also discussed a separate, earlier set of tabled petitions related to poles at a hospital site; councilors said the city discovered an old city fire‑alarm conduit that had prevented removal and that Turner Construction would remove the city’s wire so National Grid and other utilities can complete their work.

After the hearing the council moved to approve the petition. The motion to approve was seconded by Councilor Winslow; the clerk recorded the final tally as eight in favor and one opposed (Councilor O’Malley), and the council placed two previously tabled National Grid petitions back on the docket and approved them as well.

Key details from the hearing: National Grid cited plan number 31142376 and petition paper 319‑25; the proposed pole is labeled 2903‑1 and will be placed about 42 feet northeast of existing pole 2903 to provide overhead service to 1130 Eastern Avenue. The new service will be three‑phase and is intended to serve multiple tenant bays with nine meters mounted outside the building.

The council’s action was limited to approving the utility petition on the city docket; implementation steps cited during the hearing included removal of an old city conduit by Turner Construction so National Grid and other utilities can proceed. The council did not adopt any change to municipal code as part of this item.