Contractor admits conduit work started before Needham grant-of-location; board approves Eversource petition

At a public hearing, Eversource representative Joanne Callender described an updated plan to install approximately 17 feet of conduit from Pole 61 to service 77 Wellesley Avenue; the board reviewed a revised plan that staff had not included in the initial packet.

The contractor on site, who identified himself during discussion, explained the work sequence: initial conduit had been installed and inspected by the electrical inspector before the board's grant‑of‑location petition was brought forward. "It was an oversight on my end and the electrician’s end as well," the contractor said, recounting that he believed they were following customary steps but recognized the proper sequence is to secure the grant of location before completing underground work.

Town staff described process improvements implemented after similar incidents, including clarifying permit forms and a procedure to notify contractors when Eversource performs a field sketch so the permit puller understands further steps. Engineering staff confirmed the updated plan showing the 17 feet of conduit from Pole 61 will be in the record and that the work was done on the correct pole; the Select Board then voted to approve the petition and asked staff to ensure record documentation so future maintenance/locates will be clear.

Why it matters: grant‑of‑location hearings document public infrastructure placed in town rights‑of‑way; work performed before permitting can raise safety, notification and enforcement issues. The board approved the petition after town engineers confirmed the plans and inspections.