The Village of Walden board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 6 at 6:30 p.m. to address a diabolical force plaguing the village: zombie poles, or utility poles that are broken or inactive. The hearing would focus on a local law that, if approved, would require utility companies to remove or replace zombie poles.

New York State Senator James Skoufis, (D-Cornwall) recently encouraged municipalities across Orange County to take action against zombie poles and adopt laws that would hold utility companies responsible for removing them. He argued that these poles are eyesores and safety hazards for residents.

Skoufis explained that equipment such as excess power lines and unused poles are not only a blight along local roadways, but often pose a danger to residents. He suggested local lawmakers model their laws on the ones enacted by the town of Wallkill, Chapter 101-2, which ensures utilities are held accountable for timely removal of these features by levying a per-day fine.

“In pressing our area utilities to account for their own neglect of this infrastructure, we uncovered eye-popping stats,” said Skoufis. “While there are many offenders, Frontier is, by far, the worst, with some of their unused lines remaining in place for over 3,000 days. While utilities provide essential services to our constituents, it is equally essential that they operate in a manner that’s mindful of our communities’ safety, aesthetics, and overall quality of life.”

John Revella, the village manager, speculated that the village has over 100 zombie poles, which would need to be replaced by NYSEG, the village’s utility provider.