Selectmen voice displeasure over double poles
Published on August 7th, 2002
STONEHAM, MA - NSTAR visited the Stoneham Board of Selectmen, and received an unexpected earful of complaints about a double utility pole situation that has the Selectmen both concerned and annoyed.
Representatives of NSTAR, the energy supply company, showed up at the Board of Selectmen’s meeting last week to request permission to run some conduit along Pomeworth Street for St. Patrick’s Church. The common request was granted but only after a discussion concerning the abundance of NSTAR’s utility poles throughout town.
There are 94, double-poles throughout Stoneham that need to be singled out. (Double poles refer to those utility poles that are placed right next to the pole it will replace.) The selectmen each voiced their wish to see a timely disappearance of the poles, and strongly hinted to NSTAR officials that there should be a visible decrease in double poles within the next 60 days.
According to Carolyn McManus, Right-of-Way Agent for NSTAR, there are more wires on the poles than just that of NSTAR’s.
“There are cable, telephone and town wires for the fire department on those poles,” said McManus.
McManus maintains that NSTAR has contacted the other utilities that have lines on the poles in question and those companies have not acted on their request to remove their lines.
Town Administrator Dave Berry admits that this issue has been on the table for quite some time.
“This issue precedes my arrival in September of last year,” said Berry.
Berry believes some of the poles pose a safety hazard while many others should be removed for aesthetic reasons.
Mike Monahan, Public Relations Representative for NSTAR, is aware of the situation and that the selectmen want the poles removed as soon as possible. According to Monahan, the energy server has been upgrading their equipment to better their service and decrease the likelihood of another electrical outage.
“Our main focus is to keep the lights on,” said Monahan. “Twenty or so poles have been added in the area just as a part of our effort to upgrade the service.”
NSTAR has 1.4 million electricity customers throughout eastern Massachusetts. According to Monahan, NSTAR has installed 6,000 poles, 2,200 transformers and 1.1 million feet of new wire since last summer in their ongoing effort to upgrade their service.
“We are working with those utilities that have wires on the poles in question and will correct the situation as soon as we can,” said Monahan.
Selectmen Bob Sweeney agrees with Barry, and would like to see this problem solved soon.
“This has been an ongoing problem for a couple of years now,” said Sweeney.
Sweeney is aware that not all the wires on the poles belong to NSTAR, but nonetheless wants to see some action on this matter.
“Perhaps we should start shopping around for another energy provider.”
He has heard the reasons for inaction for some time now.
“They say they can’t move the wires of another utility so they can’t act on removing the poles.”
According to Sweeney, Town Counsel William Solomon is drafting a letter to all of the utilities that have wires on the poles in question, requesting their prompt action on this matter.
“Unfortunately, things like this get hung up in legal departments instead of being coordinated by the people who are actually doing the work,” noted Sweeney.
Town Counsel William Solomon was not available for comment. The Stoneham Board of Selectmen meets again on August 12.
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