Selectman Sisitsky: NSTAR Tree Cutting a 'Public Relations Disaster'
Residents of the Oaks neighborhood, who appealed to Framingham Selectmen, were able to question NSTAR face-to-face at a special meeting on the utility company's tree cutting; but received few answers.
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After NSTAR left mangled leaves and tree branches around the Oaks Neighborhood, cut trees down to the stump instead of just trimming branches at Reardon Park, took out trees on scenic Lake Road and tried to cut trees at Saxonville Beach, Framingham neighborhoods appealed to Framingham Selectmen and Town Leaders to order the company to explain their actions.
Wednesday night Framingham Selectmen held a special meeting to address residents concerns and to hear what NSTAR had to say.
About 150 concerned residents attended the meeting, as did all five selectmen, NSTAR Community Relations and Economic Specialist, JoAnne O’Leary and Framingham Tree Warden Dan Nau.
Opening the meeting by calling the situation with NSTAR, “a public relations disaster," Framingham Selectmen Chair Charles Sisitsky asked O’Leary to explain what happened and why.
O’Leary said the power transmission system is interconnected and covers other towns from Sherborn to Sudbury. To ensure all customers get power, they must clear the area around power lines to prevent disruptions in power transmission. (Sudbury residents have been protesting the tree cutting, too.)
O' Leary said rapid population increases in the past 30 years has made it more important than ever for the transmission to be free of any interception.
“You would all agree that Framingham has changed,” said O’Leary.
Sisitsky said it was NSTAR that had changed.
“Something has happened within NSTAR that has changed its policy on vegetation management," Sisitsky said. “Why has it changed? Is it lack of proper maintenance?”
O’Leary defended NSTAR. She said residents of the Oak neighborhood that were affected by the tree-cutting were given adequate notice - a gesture she said was not legally mandated of NSTAR, as the easements in question were not on private property.
Selectmen Jason Smith and Dennis Giombetti pressed that NSTAR should have held a public meeting to inform residents about NSTAR's plans to clear the area around power lines.
“You should be ashamed of yourself," Smith said.
Pressing on the absence of a public meeting, Selectman Laurie Lee called NSTAR’s lack of pre-work "‘lazy" and reiterated that “something has changed internally at NSTAR."
O'Leary did not comment on any internal changes nor did she comment on who specifically at NSTAR made the decision to cut down the trees in the Oaks neighborhood.
Selectmen would like to see tree cutting in Framingham continue to be halted until NSTAR answers who made the decisions to cut and how they plan to fix the issue, including re-planting.
NSTAR had agreed to stop cutting trees until the meeting, but it is unclear if they will begin cutting again in the morning.
Massachusetts General Law (Chapter 87, section 3) says trees shall not be cut, trimmed, or removed without permission from the tree warden.
Framingham Tree Warden Dan Nau said he learned of the tree cutting from upset residents. The company never directly contacted him on its plans to cut down trees in Framingham - be it Reardon Park, Saxonville Beach or any other road in Framingham.
After statements from NSTAR and officials, residents were given the chance to speak.
Andy Ferguson spoke on behalf of the Oaks Neighborhood Association. He said the Association is cognizant of NSTAR’s obligation and right to access their power lines but they are angry about the company’s lack of communication.
“This was not being green, this was a scorched earth campaign,” Ferguson said.
The damage has been done. Trees all over Precinct 3 have been cut to the stump.
Residents asked NSTAR how they are going to restore the area.
O’Leary said that NSTAR has no plans at this time to do any replanting.
Overwhelmingly the standing room crowd was unhappy with NSTAR, but one Framingham resident Jay Finch was not.
“[Most of the people at this meeting] do not represent the whole town,” Finch said. "People’s livelihood depend on those power lines."
He took the position that most people in Framingham would rather lose trees than lose power.
Again in October, as much as 17% of the town was without power after the unusual snowstorm.
Oaks Neighborhood Association President Josh Mulready said last week his neighborhood did not lose power like others in town last year during the two storms. Residents who did lose power, the cause was a wire detaching from their house, he said.
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Town of Framingham: Reardon Park and Playground
Brownlea Rd & Old Connecticut Path, Framingham, MA -
Saxonville Beach
Lake Rd & Old Connecticut Path, Framingham, MA -
Josh Mulready
6:19 am on Thursday, May 31, 2012
@ Dave,
I did know about the power outages last year in the Oaks. I regularly take walks/bike rides around the ONA and after that storm, my family and I walked around the neighborhood and saw damage left by the storm. I should have commented more globally and not just focused on my part of the ONA, which is what I was talking about with Framingham Patch. I should have made my point better, so I will take the blame for not talking fully to that point. I was trying to say exactly what you mention - the power was lost mostly due to the down limbs and trees on private property, not the high transmission lines that run through our neighborhood. Again, I apologize for the mistake and will be more careful when talking to these points.
Melissa Ramsay
8:09 am on Thursday, May 31, 2012
This is the point. Every Storm my sister who lives in the Pheasant Hill area has had 2 power outages lasting days! If you drive around Framingham the small distribution lines that run through the neighborhoods are the problem.. Overgrowth that NSTAR has let happen causes these power outages at the distribution lines not the Transmission lines. I live in the Oaks and we did not have any power loss at all. Actually I can't remember a single time in all the 13 years that I have been living here that I have lost power for days, especially from the Transmission lines. NSTAR needs to focus on the area that are always affected and not removing the trees that are 30 feet lower than the transmission lines. Shame on you NSTAR!
Chip Kivlehan
9:01 am on Thursday, May 31, 2012
I was unable to ask this question publicly but did ask Joanne O’Leary after. "During the last few freak storms, (Irene and the 2 snow storms) how many times did those high tension wires in Framingham come down?" Ms. O’Leary’s answer none; all of the power outages were caused by trees falling into wire at the street level.
So if these wires have not failed, why all of the devastation? Why not prune and trim as the "door knockers" indicated?
A simple solution would be to put the street level wires under ground.
NSTAR should be ashamed for what they have done, and what they plan to do.
The fact that NSTAR had only Joanne O’Leary as the sole representative shows cowardice and community disconnect.
Kim Poness
10:25 am on Thursday, May 31, 2012
@Dave Lenane - I'm not sure you're correct on your point about private trees growing into the power lines being the homeowner's responsibility. I live just outside of downtown, but my lot actually has five trees on it, three of which are pretty large. Every two years, I have a tree service come out to inspect my trees and prune them as necessary. They do not prune the one part of the tree in my front yard that has grown into the power lines, and I assumed that was because it is NSTAR's responsibility. NSTAR did come out a few weeks ago and prune the front of that tree. I have to say, they did a nice job, and didn't destroy my tree. IS it my responsibility, or is it NSTAR's?
Melissa Ramsay
11:15 am on Thursday, May 31, 2012
Yes, but if you have a tree on your property that causes outages, not the transmission lines. That again is my point, focus on the issues that are causing the outages, such as private property issues and distribution lines. Around my entire house has been hacked and everything removed. Everyone at Reardon can see in my yard, Everyone walking the easement has clear viewing in my house and we have lots of people stopping in the back of our house staring right into our yard that is why the small brush was so important to us. we have spent ALOT of time and money to make it a beautiful yard and now I HAVE NO PRIVACY because of people not doing what they are suppose to, and most of ALL because of NSTAR! I understand completely that it sucks to go without power for days, as I hosted an entire family several times at my house because of it, but there needs to be some common ground here, a balancing act with consumer and NSTAR. Here is the answer to a question the someone posted I got if from an article regarding tree trimming. The utility companies are responsible for trimming trees around electrical wires on public lands. According to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU), the state agency that regulates power companies.
Joe Rizoli
11:52 am on Thursday, May 31, 2012
Power outages can be from one street to the next without rhyme or reason. So one area person can't speak for the whole area. I think this meeting was good but it came a little late. This should have happened months ago with a plan that N-Star wanted to do for the area. Maybe the people legally couldn't stop everything but at least they would have had a say.
Shame on this multi million dollar company for not having better representation, the people deserve better. As to leaving the place a mess I was not impressed with huge tire marks still there mind you. A better job at using wood chips or something would have been nice to fix that. Sure you can trim and take down trees but don't leave the place like it was it by a cluster bomb.
Joe Rizoli