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Council hears complaints about Eversource responsiveness as it approves multiple grants of location
Summary
The Somerville City Council approved several Comcast and Eversource grants of location on Feb. 12 while residents and councilors pressed utility representatives to fix damaged underground feeds and streetlights and to coordinate more quickly with city departments.
The Somerville City Council on Feb. 12 approved a series of small‑scale conduit and manhole grants for Comcast and Eversource while several residents and councilors pressed utility staff about service disruptions and coordination with city public works.
Council President Lance Davis opened a public hearing for a Comcast petition to install roughly 133 feet of conduit on Highland Avenue to serve 393 Highland Ave; Comcast utility coordinator Robert Rugman spoke in support and the council closed the hearing and approved the grant.
The council then addressed multiple Eversource petitions. Emmy McSweeney, representing Eversource, described a 640‑foot installation on Broadway to serve a 114‑unit building and several shorter conduit installs tied to single residences. Councilors temporarily laid some Eversource items on the table while referring other items (including locations at 10 Oak Street and 91 Prospect Street) to the Licenses and Permits Committee so staff and the utility could agree on conditioning and to preserve an outstanding double‑pole list.
A resident raised a public‑311 complaint that a streetlight at 35 Holland Street was out and said the city’s 311 system had told him underground feeds were damaged during roadwork. Councilor Kappen relayed the complaint during the hearing and asked Eversource to commit to repairs. McSweeney and supervisor Kelly Ann Korea (identifying herself as Eversource supervisor for rights and permits) told the council they hold standing meetings with the city’s DPW and would follow up directly, with McSweeney saying she would “talk to Eddie tomorrow” and have crews make the repair.
On a larger Summer Street petition, Eversource described a redesign: a previously approved manhole could not be placed where first authorized because a newly raised bike lane conflicted with earlier plans, and the company agreed with DPW to place the new manhole in the sidewalk with the cover flush to meet ADA requirements. Councilors pressed Eversource on how long pedestrians might be affected; the company estimated the immediate sidewalk work around a manhole would take days while the overall, phased project across hundreds of feet could take longer but would be staged to maintain lanes and police details to direct traffic.
After discussion, the council approved a series of mostly small grants of location (serving single addresses) and referred several Eversource petitions to the Licenses and Permits Committee for additional conditioning and follow‑up.
What happens next: Items sent to Licenses and Permits will be scheduled for committee consideration where staff and Eversource can work out mitigation measures, and the city asked Eversource to follow up directly on outstanding 311 requests.
Sources: Public hearing statements by Robert Rugman (Comcast), Emmy McSweeney and Kelly Ann Korea (Eversource); council record and clerk’s readouts.
