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Teacher’s complaint prompts council review of EV‑charger listing after DPW use dispute
Summary
A Lowell school teacher told councilors city maps showed an EV charger at the DPW as public but DPW staff said the spot was intended for municipal vehicles; the administration said it will review the listing and explore options, including relocating or clarifying access to the charger.
A Lowell teacher told the City Council on Jan. 14 that a public‑facing map lists an EV charger at the Department of Public Works (DPW) as available to residents, but DPW employees have occupied the public charging spaces and staff declined a request to move a vehicle to access the charger.
The speaker, Cindy Hennessey, said she drives about 50 miles each day and has relied on that charger because it is the closest to her school. Hennessey said DPW employees told her they had no other parking and that, in recent conversations, DPW asked that the charger be removed from the city map and not listed as public. She said a DPW employee hung up on her when she requested access and that the situation discouraged her from using the station.
Assistant City Manager Machado told the council he would look into the situation and said the charger had been installed originally to support city vehicles and employees. He said he would determine whether the map should be corrected and whether the charger can be moved or reconfigured so nearby residents can use public charging. Councilors suggested adding chargers near schools or other public locations and said staff should examine whether DPW’s yard layout still supports public access to that unit.
Why it matters: Public EV charging infrastructure is a municipal sustainability priority; access conflicts with municipal yards or fleet use can limit public benefit.
Next steps: Administration will review whether the DPW charger should remain listed as public, consider relocation or additional chargers near schools, and report back to council.
