Politics & Government

Planners Approve JCP&L Power Source for Library

Mayor Timothy Dougherty reminds members OK only for new transformer; other steps remain before library can reopen.

Underground power lines run along Miller Road are expected to power a new transformer, which was approved for use by the Morristown & Morris Township Public Library by the Planning Board on Monday, Oct. 18.

However, there is still a lot that needs to be done before the library–which has been closed since an underground explosion in May–can finally reopen to the public, warned Mayor Timothy Dougherty, who also sits on the Planning Board.

"There's easements, insulation, permits approval, all kinds of things that have to be done," he said during the brief deliberation with Donald Richards, a representative from JCP&L who had been asked to come before the Planning Board when the library last month met with the board for approval on the new power source. No one from the power supply company had been at that meeting, prompting the board to request the hearing be continued later.

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"This approval is for the transformer, not the power lines," the mayor said. "I don't want to get into too much discussion. The engineers have not been through this."

The underground power lines discussed were not the original plan, but one JCP&L arrived at when representatives of Morristown's historical commission complained the added above-ground wires originally proposed along Miller Road would be out of character. Richards said at the meeting any new construction project would likely call for underground cables anyway, making the request not unheard of. "We came up with what we think is a very workable solution," he said.

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With the approval, Richards estimated the whole project, which would go across Maple Avenue on Miller Road, would take about two weeks and not require any complete road closures. 

Richards also mentioned the library's remaining internal work that still needs to be done before the library will be able to reopen.

At the end of the meeting, Dougherty noted his approval of a JCP&L representative at the meeting, citing a lack of communication previously.

"Hopefully we will hear from JCP&L tomorrow, so we can get the library open as soon as possible," he said.

 

 


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