Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Utility Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select committee continues public hearing on proposed utility pole on Middle Road
Summary
The board opened a public hearing on a petition from Verizon New England Inc. and Henstar Electric (d/b/a Eversource) to install a new utility pole on Middle Road, heard questions about double poles and coordination with Verizon and Comcast, and voted to continue the hearing to June 17 so companies can meet with the town.
The Board of Select Committees opened a public hearing on a petition (Mass. 2024‑50) from Verizon New England Inc. and Henstar Electric Company doing business as Eversource proposing a new utility pole (quoted as 10439.5) on Middle Road. Chair said the petition describes a pole approximately 262 feet north of the center line of Hamlin Street and sited roughly 30 feet south of one existing pole and 90 feet north of another.
The board questioned the need and siting, with members asking why the new pole spacing was chosen and whether it was tied to nearby construction. A Verizon representative described visuals of the proposal; a utility operations representative said the work supports upgrades for distribution and is associated with distributed energy resources (DER) and planned solar interconnections in the area.
Multiple selectmen raised longstanding complaints about duplicated or “double” poles left in place after upgrades and urged a coordinated, timelineed plan that includes Verizon, Eversource and the town. Chair pressed for a meeting that would produce a concrete schedule, saying in part, “We need Verizon, Eversource, and us in a room and put together a legit plan that tells us a timeline of when they're gonna take care of these poles.” The utility speaker said they would relay the board’s concerns up the chain to project management and operations.
Operations also announced a contractor start date for related cluster work: “Michael’s gonna be doing the work. They start, March 17,” the utility participant told the board, saying the Main Street/Acushnet cluster work to move top wires and install heavier conductors and switching equipment should take an estimated four to six months.
Board members debated who should bear costs for moving town streetlights and other town equipment when poles are upsized — proposing the town seek reimbursement from solar developers or utilities where the upsizing is not needed by the town. One member said the town should not front the cost when a private project or utility upgrade triggers changes that require moving municipal fixtures.
After discussion, the board voted to continue the public hearing until June 17 at 4 p.m. in the Selectman's meeting room to allow time to secure Verizon participation and a clearer schedule. The motion passed on roll call.
