The Hubbardston Select Board on Feb. 3 reconsidered and tabled two National Grid petitions to install utility poles after staff said abutter notices had not been mailed.

The board first moved and approved petitions to place new utility poles related to a driveway service on Ragged Hill Road and to a Massachusetts Department of Transportation project on Williamsville Road. Will Fontaine, who identified himself as the engineer on the Ragged Hill Road job, described the Ragged Hill work as “one pole line up one driveway” to serve two new houses and said a “mid-span pull on the street” was needed to bring service down the driveway. He said the Williamsville Road poles were being relocated for a DOT bridge project and that some pole locations would be temporary while others would be permanent.

The hearing later shifted after a board member asked Fontaine to provide proof that abutters had been notified. Fontaine said that, historically, National Grid paid for public notice mailings but that a number of earlier invoices to the town had not been paid; he said National Grid had been told to provide proof of mailing but he had since been informed the abutter notices were not sent. A select board member said, “without the abutters notification, the public hearing is essentially null and void,” and recommended tabling the items.

After discussing the missing notices and the town’s fee schedule, the board withdrew the prior motions and voted to reconsider the Williamsville Road approval. The motion to reconsider passed; the board then agreed to table both the Williamsville Road and Ragged Hill Road pole petitions until the required abutter notifications and any other procedural conditions were satisfied.

Why it matters: State and local rules require that abutters and other interested parties receive notice ahead of certain utility and land-use hearings so they may participate. The board declined to proceed with decisions while that notice was missing, pausing both pole installs until National Grid provides proof that the public and abutters were properly notified.

What’s next: Fontaine said he will follow up with the town clerk and National Grid and attempt to supply proof of mailing; the board asked staff to coordinate with National Grid and to bring the petitions back only after proper notification and any necessary fee issues are resolved.

No final installations were authorized at the meeting because both petitions were tabled pending notification and confirmation of compliance with applicable regulations.