Live reporting - Underground utilities

H. PRESENTATIONS/DISCUSSIONS – Underground Utilities



From Alpine Pl to the railroad bridge, estimated at $1 million
Ranges from 65 to 120 (more than the 65-75 I quoted earlier)


Complications on the utilities coordinating their activities
Nationalgrid could do the work within a year, Verizon and Comcast would take more than a year


Zollo - strategic and long term issue for downtown development, need to have more than a one year outlook, reinvestment is needed. I would support to put the utilities underground, it is the most cost effective to do it now. I understand the issues with the current economy. I would support a public hearing on this.


McGann - I second Shannon's issue with this not being the time to do so but let's get the public hearing to have the citizens and businesses express their thoughts on the matter.


Pfeffer - Why the financing up front? I don't understand that part of it.
Nutting - we would front the costs and have the utilities pay us back over the term of their collections


If you have a Verizon land line user you get assessed, but not on internet
If you have Comcast cable, you get assessed if phone no


Jones - I would approve getting a public hearing on this. I walked this stretch and see only a dozen or so poles. I agree that it would be the time now to do so although not the best time in the economy to do so.


There is a separate issue with how the electric utility would be delivered. The utility will deliver the service two feet inside the property line but where the service entrance is in relation to that is not known. 


Vallee - I have always been concerned with downtown as we are behind the scenes where other towns have gone. On Emmons St, from Main to W Central has any one approached Dean if they want to do that?
Nutting - no

Mason - I have a bunch of questions about this. I feel there are a lot of people out there who won't see the the value of this investment. This is not the time to do so. I don't this would be the Council's place to do this without business owner input, and from the citizens to express their thoughts on this. They may feel there is long range benefits to this.

McGann - Some of the dwellings are rental units, so if the landlord does it, the rents will need to go up.

Mason - I thought this was a larger area, from Emmons to Alpine.
Nutting - When we priced that section, the Emmons and W Central streets, the price is astronomical; 4-5 million. Maybe we made a false assumption assuming that that would be off the table. It would be nice to do them but it is a lot of money.


Franklin, MA