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Town contact will seek PUC filing and answers after residents miss details of notice
Summary
Commissioners said the state Public Utility Commission handled the antenna permit and that abutting owners and the town were mailed notice; Alex committed to obtain the PUC filing, confirm whether the town can intervene and to contact residents who signed in with specific follow-up questions.
Commissioners clarified that the proposed antennas are part of a state-regulated utility filing and that the Public Utility Commission (referred to in the meeting as the Public Service Board / PUC) handles permitting and appeals. One participant said abutting property owners and the town received notice, and that the initial 60-day appeal window had likely lapsed, though the transcript indicates a post-60-day intervention mechanism is available but more difficult.
Alex, the town contact, told the meeting he would reach out to the PUC, review the filing and develop a list of questions so the town can interface with the PUC on residents' behalf. "I'll take a peek into the process and exactly what the commission is proposing," he said, and he asked that residents who signed the public-comment sheet leave contact information so staff can follow up.
Commissioners reiterated that local bylaws say antennas on existing structures are generally preferable to new towers for aesthetic reasons, but emphasized that the town's authority over the state permit is limited. The commission did not adopt any formal position on the permit at the meeting; the immediate next step is staff outreach to the PUC and follow-up with the signatories.
