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Committee presses utilities on ‘double’ poles; Verizon says about 110 remain in Somerville
Summary
Representatives from Eversource, Comcast, Verizon and others briefed the Licenses and Permits Committee on progress removing double‑pole attachments. Verizon reported roughly 110 double poles citywide; utilities and committee agreed to share lists and reconvene for progress checks.
Representatives from Eversource, Comcast, Verizon and other service providers told the Somerville City Licenses and Permits Committee on June 25, 2025 that progress is being made but a substantial number of double poles remain citywide.
Ellen Cummings, Verizon regional director for state government affairs, said she pulled the city’s NJUNS (National Joint Utility Notification System) export that morning and reported “I think there's about 110 double poles right now that are sitting in your city,” meaning poles that still have attachments from multiple providers and are awaiting successive transfers and removals.
Jason Wright, community relations at Eversource, described the operational process: utilities enter tickets in the NJUNS system identifying poles and the order of transfers. When a pole is “next to go,” the utility indicated by NJUNS receives a notice that it is their turn to move attachments; once all parties remove attachments the pole can be pulled. Wright said the pace varies: “that could vary greatly… months to could be as high as years,” depending on coordination and site conditions, though he estimated roughly a dozen polls had been pulled since the committee last reviewed its inventory and several transfers were pending.
Committee members asked for improved transparency. Councilor Davis requested the utilities and clerk provide the lists and a short glossary of abbreviations used in NJUNS so the public and councilors can track progress. Multiple utility representatives said they would supply the data the committee requested and work with city staff. Licensing operations manager Michael Poteer pointed out a Verizon‑provided spreadsheet had been submitted earlier that day; the committee asked staff to attach the utilities’ current lists and a glossary to the item record for future meetings.
The committee did not close the matter. Chair Burnley said the item will remain in committee for future check‑ins; committee members discussed reconvening on a regular basis (several members suggested semiannual check‑ins) and the chair said he intended to bring a map identifying pole locations to the next discussion so the committee could see geographic concentrations.
Key technical terms discussed included NJUNS (the online ticket system utilities use to track transfers) and the “Next To Go” designation (the utility currently scheduled to move attachments off a pole). Utilities encouraged residents to report specific poles of concern; Eversource and other companies said they coordinate with the city and other providers on priority removals and safety issues.
Committee action: item kept in committee; staff and utilities directed to provide up‑to‑date lists (including a glossary of acronyms) and the committee expects to review progress at a future meeting.
