FOLQ Pledges to Raise $30,000 For Removing Poles at the Head of the Lake

Following several weeks of deliberations by its Board of Directors, Friends of Lake Quannapowitt (FOLQ) has pledged to raise $30,000 for the undergrounding of telecommunications wires currently located along the Lowell Street border of Colonel Connelly and Gertrude Spaulding Parks at the head of Lake Quannapowitt. While FOLQ’s fundraising commitment is focused only on the removal of overhead telecommunications wires, this is an integral component of a larger plan in the works to address the oversized utility poles that were installed along the parks late last year to facilitate the increased power needs of Digital Realty Trust, a company that recently established operations in Wakefield.

When the high-capacity utility poles were installed over the recently renovated parklands last December, there was a sharp public outcry. A public hearing at the Town Hall on January 18, 2011 was held which culminated in the formation of a working committee to address the issue. That committee is comprised of representatives from the Wakefield Municipal Light and Gas Department (WMGLD), Verizon, the Board of Selectmen and FOLQ and has focused its energy on devising a solution acceptable to all concerned parties. As the result of the committee’s efforts, a realistic plan has now emerged.

The plan being pursued is subject to approval by the WMGLD Board of Commissioners and calls for WMGLD, Verizon and other telecommunications carriers such as Comcast and RCN, to place power and telecommunications lines underground in a conduit to be constructed along Lowell Street. According to the plan, WMGLD would shoulder the cost of constructing the conduit and undergrounding its own power lines. WMGLD ratepayers would see a very small increase in their monthly bills to cover WMGLD's costs of undergrounding its utilities (approximately $1.00 per month for 24 months according to a comment made by WMGLD's Manager Peter Dion at the January 18, 2011 public hearing).

Verizon has cooperated with WMGLD in developing a comprehensive design and estimates the cost of undergrounding Verizon’s telecommunications wires to be around $90,000. Legally, Verizon has a right to compensation for the cost of the wire relocation.

If funding solutions can be devised to cover Verizon’s costs, the relocation of the utilities at the site can begin as early as next spring. To expedite the process, Selectman Albert Turco and Town Administrator Stephen Maio have developed a potential funding solution that divides Verizon’s undergrounding cost of $90,000 into three equal segments and have proposed three sources for the funds – FOLQ, Digital Realty Trust and Verizon. FOLQ, an organization dedicated to the preservation and enhancement of the lakeside environment and responsible in large part for the renovation of the parks impacted by the poles, has agreed to pledge $30,000 through privately raised funds. Digital Realty Trust has also committed to $30,000 of the cost. Verizon, whose management personnel met with town representatives in July, was asked to contribute $30,000. Selectman Turco and Town Administrator Maio are awaiting a response from Verizon to their request for the $30,000 contribution.

Several hurdles still exist: Verizon’s $30,000 share of costs needs to be covered; WMGLD’s Commissioners will need to give formal approval to the plan at an upcoming Board meeting possibly in October; and several utility poles will need to be permitted for relocation. If these challenges are met, construction can begin next spring.

“To have made this much progress since January is a tribute to this community”, noted Stephan Weynicz, FOLQ president , adding: “We extend our appreciation to all the elements that have worked together for a resolution to the problem of the poles: To our members and citizens who expressed their strong concerns last winter; to the positive response and hard work exhibited by Peter Dion and the WMGLD; and to town leaders Al Turco and Steve Maio, who have developed a creative initiative to resolve the remaining funding gap. There is now a very good chance that we can permanently preserve the head of the lake as a scenic entryway to the town we love.”

In the upcoming weeks, FOLQ will be unveiling its plans to raise $30,000 toward this important project. More information about FOLQ’s efforts to resolve the pole problem can be obtained by visiting its website, www.folq.org or by calling (781) 979-2400.