Municipal Light Updates Town on Substation Talks

During what was supposed to be a joint meeting between the Light Board and the Municipal Light Advisory Board (MLAB) on Wednesday, Aug. 4, members of the MLAB were alone to talk about the $39 million 115kV substation project set to go before Town Meeting in the fall because members of the Board of Selectmen – in their capacity as the Light Board – were not able to attend the meeting.

Belmont Municipal Light Department General Manager Timothy Richardson updated the rest of the MLAB on the Light Board's July 26 approval of the 115 kV Site Selection Committee's recommendations that the new substation be built at the Purecoat North property on Hittinger Street.

Currently, he said, the Tosi family, who owns the three-acre property, is reviewing a purchase and sale agreement between it and the town.

Once both parties have signed the agreement, Town Meeting will have to vote at its fall meeting whether to purchase the property for approximately $6.4 million.

Members of the MLAB want to be sure the warrant article brought before Town Meeting states clearly that the property will be under the care, custody and control of the municipal light department and that it make decisions about whether or not any excess portions of the property be sold.

They discussed the issue with Attorney Diedre T. Lawrence of Rubin and Rudman in Boston, who represents the Belmont Municipal Light Department.

"A lot of municipal light departments hold more property than they need (and hold onto it) for future use," Lawrence said.

"The manager (of the light department) makes decisions on a day-to-day basis and should say what is needed," she added.

Chairman Ashley Brown said the board's main concern is being forced to retain the land even if the department does not need it.

Lawrence said in order for the land to go from the light department to general corporate property, the Board of Selectmen would have to draft a warrant article and Town Meeting would decide if the property, or any part of it, would pass to a different department or be sold.

"We need the scope of our ability to negotiate with the town," Brown said.

The MLAB asked Lawrence to write a legal opinion for members to review concerning transfer of the property and who approves it as well as where authority issues surrounding the pilot payment.

The next meeting of the Municipal Light Advisory Board 

Any customers who have questions about the 115kV substation project can send them via email to BMLDProject@belmont-ma.gov or call 617-993-2800. Customers who wish to be notified of any developments regarding the substation project should email BMLDProject@belmont-ma.gov to be added to the distribution list.