Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • July 24, 2013 Ridgewood Residents express concerns over 65-foot PSE&G poles by John Koster The Ridgewood Village Council heard concerns from residents of Hope Street and Spring Avenue who said they were caught by surprise when workers from Public Ser- vice Electric & Gas began installing 65- foot wooden utility poles along their right of way. “We were not presented with options,” Councilwoman Gwenn Hauck said at last week’s public meeting. “In March, we got an e-mail. It was called a re-stringing proj- ect.” Instead, residents of Spring Avenue and Hope Street in Ridgewood got 65-foot wooden utility poles -- 15 feet taller than the utility poles already in place -- that will be removed when all electrical and com- munication wires are transferred. Residents also expressed concerns regarding the increased voltage (69,500 volts) and the potential threat to houses and property values. “This is clearly a serious problem,” said Mayor Paul Aronsohn. “We have a good relationship with PSE&G, but communica- tion is a problem.” PSE&G will send delegates to a spe- cial meeting on July 31 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Ridgewood Village Hall. Ridgewood was able to obtain a moratorium on construc- tion after Ridgewood Village Engineer Christopher Rutishauser issued several summonses to utility workers at the scene when they at first refused to desist. “This is part of a utility upgrade,” Rutishauser said last week. “The poles are more substantial...These wooden poles, I believe, are the largest that are available.” Rutishauser said it appeared that PSE&G used the most substantial poles available, which brought a ripple of amuse- ment from an audience that was otherwise very serious. (continued on page 11) Sixty-five foot wooden utility poles stand next to standard fifty foot poles.