How to Get a Double Pole (Utility Pole) Removed in Somerville, MA

We have been waiting for years to have a double pole (two utilitiy poles lashed together) turned back into a single pole in front of our house. The extra pole blocks visibility, obstructs strollers and impedes snow removal. We have contacted numerous people about getting it removed, all to no avail until recently. Below is what we learned. If you have more complete information (or corrections) please let me know through my contact information.

15-Jan-2008: I spoke to an RCN line worker who was working outside the house. He miraculously seemed to know the process for getting the double pole removed, and referred me to Alex Ortiz at RCN (phone 781-652-8856). I called Alex. Alex said he would send a request to move the RCN cables. He said the cable move is subcontracted by NStar Communications, which is owned by NStar Electric, and Andy Baltar is the person in charge of the process at NStar Communication, University Avenue, Westwood MA. There is a "PLM List" managed by the pole owner. The pole owner is identified by a marking on the pole -- often a small tag or plate. Usually the pole owner is NStar Electric or Verizon (formerly called Bell Atlantic). The transfer of cables from the old pole to the new pole proceeds in a specific order from the top of the pole to the bottom. The PLM List indicates who needs to move what next. The standard order is:

Sequence	Cable	Owner
1	Primary electric	NStar
2	Secondary electric	NStar
3	Street light	City
4	Fire alarm	City
5	Cable TV/broadband 1	RCN
6	Cable TV/broadband 2	Comcast
7	Telephone	Verizon

16-Jan-2008: I asked a line worker why it had taken so long for any action (a few years). He said the fire alarm was the hold up. Mike Gaglione of NStar Communications Corp is the foreman (phone: 978-657-0091; cell: 978-815-4224). Mike said that Andy Balter, NStar Comm, will submit the request to the next company on the PLM list.

30-Jan-2008(?): Someone -- I don't know who it was -- mentioned that John Power, the electric inspector for the city of Somerville, knows who to contact to get action on double poles. I have not verified this, but it sounds like a good lead.

21-Apr-2008: All cables have by now been transferred from the old pole to the new pole. But the old pole is still there! It still needs to be removed! So I guess I need to try calling some of the above people to find out how to get this last step initiated.

History of our double pole

More than three years ago a tow-truck traveling much too fast slammed into the utility pole in front of our house. The pole was broken at the bottom, but remained standing, so an emergency road crew from NStar (the local electric company) came to replace it. They pulled out the old pole, put a new pole in its place, transferred only the electric power cables from the old pole to the new pole, attached the old pole to the new pole, and left both poles there with all of the other cables attached to the old pole. The two poles then sat like that for years while we tried in vain to figure out who to bug to get the transfer completed and the old pole removed.

David Booth, Somerville, MA