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Chelmsford Town Manager Blames Property Owners in Repair Snag of Wires, Poles

Posted on: Tuesday, 27 June 2006, 12:00 CDT

By Hiroko Sato, The Sun, Lowell, Mass.

Jun. 27--CHELMSFORD -- If you think it's taking a long time for the town to start getting rid of the utility poles and wires in Chelmsford Center, part of the blame goes to a few downtown property owners, Town Manager Bernie Lynch said.

That's because they are refusing to let workers to step inside their lots to bury the wires underground unless the town fulfills their special demands -- such as rezoning of a property -- Lynch said.

"This is, generally speaking, a case where either they are trying to extort something from the town or they are just not providing us" the easement needed, Lynch said.

The town has been trying to eliminate the poles and wires in the busy section of town for years. Burying them not only helps beautify the downtown but also allows utility companies to add lines as demands for electricity and communication equipment increase, according to Lynch.

Mass. Electric and Verizon are doing the project along with Comcast, Lynch said. The town helps the utility companies pay for the project by allowing them to collect 2 percent surcharges for it from local customers.

The project will involve about 200 Chelmsford Center properties because workers need to put conduits along the side of the roads. Most of the property owners have already agreed to provide easement, but "a handful" are refusing, insisting the town give them what they want. And this has been holding up the project, Lynch said.

Lynch also noted the demands have nothing to do with potential impact of the project itself.

Lynch declined to say who these property owners are.

Jeff Harrington, a board member of the Chelmsford Business Association, and Jeff Hardy, former president of the association did not know the town was facing such a problem until contacted by The Sun late last week.

Hardy said he contacted some business property owners but could not find anyone refusing to give easements.

Lynch said the town has an option to use eminent domain to get the necessary easement because it is a public project. Lynch said, however, the town is still trying to negotiate with the property owners.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Sun, Lowell, Mass.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Sun (Lowell, Massachusetts)

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