Irene Aftermath Discussed At Sherborn Selectmen Meeting

The aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene has yet to leave the town of Sherborn behind. 

At Wednesday’s Sherborn Board of Selectmen meeting, Selectman Paul DeRensis said he was disappointed in how NSTAR responded to the widespread power outages in town after the storm.

“Thirteen percent of Sherborn is still without power,” he said Wednesday night.

Both DeRensis and Sherborn Fire Chief Josh Buckler said they were still without power at the time of the meeting. 

DeRensis said he had been on the phone with NSTAR four times a day, trying to explain to them that many Sherborn residents have well water and without power they do not have water and cannot flush their toilets.

“I feel NSTAR has not had a stellar performance,” DeRensis said. 

Buckler said the Fire Department received 150 calls and Police Chief Rick Thompson said police fielded 250 calls after Irene hit.

Thompson also wanted to note that Officer Ben Stickney took all those calls. Stickney stayed on for a 16 hour shift, Thompson said.

“He really stood out during this emergency,” said Thompson. 

Sherborn resident Frank Hess said NSTAR needed to pay more attention to trimming the branches over the power lines. CM&D Director Ed Wagner responded by saying that Sherborn had restricted NSTAR from trimming trees over the power lines. 

After the storm, the Dover-Sherborn Public School District due to the conditions of the roads and lack of power to some residents.

Town Clerk Carole Marple said the Dover School Committee went to the Governor’s office and, “played the health card.”

She said the Governor then called NSTAR on the district’s behalf. 

Sherborn resident Andy Errico said there were so many branches hanging over the road that they were lucky it was only a tropical storm.

“There is no reason for the trees to hang over the road,” Errico said. 

He said that is why the town has town forests and conservation land, “It’s a matter of public safety,” he said.

Errico added that there are many dead branches hanging in the trees and on power lines. “Kids should be careful waiting for the bus,” he said.

DeRensis said when he spoke to NSTAR they told him that 92% of the fallen trees were on private property.

Thompson added that most of the trees that fell were healthy.

At the end of the conversation the room gave applause to both the Fire Department and Police Department for a job well done.