Chilmark selectmen approved an Eversource electrical easement, or pole grant, along Squibnocket Road at a special hearing continuation held Friday morning. Two days earlier at the board’s regularly scheduled meeting, the selectmen opened a hearing on the matter. During the hearing, an alternate electrical easement was pitched by Squibnocket Road residents hoping to keep power lines from spoiling their “viewshed” by burying them. The selectmen voted to extend the hearing to give proponents of the alternate plan more time to consider its feasibility.
By Friday morning, despite lobbying from alternate easement supporter Tony Orphanos, the selectmen voted 2-0 to approve the original plan. Selectman Jim Malkin was present, but recused himself from the vote because he had been out of state during the other portion of the hearing. All three selectmen subsequently signed the easement on behalf of the town.
