Since reading about the dilemma of Vineyard residents not being aware who owns their electric lines, I would like to tell our story. As a resident of Weaver Lane in Vineyard Haven, I am writing this note to thank everyone who helped restore our power after the big storm last March. We lost power Friday night and didn’t have electricity until 1 a.m. Wednesday. Many trees came down, blocking the road. Power lines were down, and one pole snapped in half, leaving a transformer in the middle of the road. Weaver Lane is a private road, so Eversource at first disclaimed responsibility for repairing the equipment, stating the lines were private, and that we the residents were responsible for first hiring a tree service to remove the trees, and secondly, hiring an electrical contractor to make the repairs to the power lines.

It was not looking good. Several of our residents are elderly, and we were worried about their safety. Thank goodness the temperatures stayed above freezing. I called my friend, attorney Ben Hall Jr., who immediately outlined a game plan to solve our dilemma. He advised us to visit the registry of deeds and search for any easement which may have been given to the original power company, and we found one dated 1920. He also advised us to call the state Department of Public Utilities, as well as the governor’s office, explaining our plight. Ben himself called the legal department at Eversource. About an hour after Ben’s call, the cavalry arrived. Eversource worked into the night Tuesday until the power was restored. I want to thank my neighbors, who all pitched in to help coordinate the effort (especially Will White), the fine folks at the registry of deeds, the DPU and the governor’s office. Thanks also to Brissette

Electric and Chronister Tree Service, for making some interim repairs during our debates with the power company.

I want to thank Eversource for realizing the severity of our situation, and making the necessary repairs to restore service. Since that time, they have acknowledged the validity of the easement and accepted responsibility for the lines. Finally, I want to thank Ben Hall Jr. who clearly understood what steps to take, and donated his time as a good citizen to help fellow Islanders.

Tom McCurdy

Vineyard Haven