With Central Maine Power poised to begin the widespread conversion to smart meters in Scarborough, my Town Council colleagues and I unanimously passed a resolution asking CMP to refrain from installing smart meters and related equipment for a minimum of 90 days, and to participate in several public forums here in Scarborough hosted by the Public Utilities Commission, CMP, Scarborough Town Council, and other interested parties.
I want to be clear: this action does not mean the Town Council is taking a position on the use of smart meters at this time. However it specifically means that we want to be sure our citizens have the opportunity to ask questions and understand the implications of this issue before any effort is made to implement any plan to install them in our community.
There is one basic guiding principle that I believe applies in this case:
“When a company/utility comes into our community with a proposition to provide a town-wide service that may impact our environment, our citizens have the right to understand the implications, and our Town Council has the responsibility to ensure our people have the opportunity in a public forum to ask questions and be properly informed.”
I understand Scarborough is the first community in Maine to ask for such townwide discussions. I was pleased to support this resolution with my colleagues on the Town Council. This is an important issue and if townwide implementation moves forward, there will be no turning back. This is the time to have public forums and for our people to be well informed.
I was pleased to see a recent article in the Press Herald where a CMP spokesman appeared eager to meet with Scarborough residents “as soon as possible.” I appreciate their willingness to accommodate our request. CMP provides a vital service to our citizens and we appreciate all they do, but the smart meter program deserves more public discussion. I have every reason to believe CMP will honor our resolution. A more informed citizenry serves all our interest and provides CMP an excellent opportunity to help us understand this new technology.
The smart meter implementation will establish a townwide wireless network to support this program. The wireless transmission will take place in the public environment within our town including our neighborhoods. This is a complicated issue with potentially widespread implications that can’t be fully appreciated or understood but through several question and answer forums attended by citizens and stakeholders alike. I urge all citizens to watch for a public forum to be scheduled and to participate as you wish.
Mike Wood is a member of the Scarborough Town Council.
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