WHITNEY, Texas (KXXV) — A Whitney business owner is raising concerns about a nearly 100-foot steel utility pole installed near his property, claiming it has significantly devalued his property and negatively impacts the downtown area.
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David Caster, who has owned his business on Trinity Street for three years, said the installation came without communication from Texas New Mexico Power (TNMP).
"Not only is my business in my home there, but Whitney has become our home," Caster said.
The pole is part of TNMP's project to improve electricity reliability in the area, replacing an existing wooden transmission structure with a 100-foot-tall steel pole near Caster's property.
"It's an eyesore," Caster said.
Caster addressed his concerns with both city officials and TNMP representatives at a special council meeting on Thursday, expressing frustration over the lack of communication about the project.
"I was in shock. I mean, there was no, there was no project plan, there was no communication, I had no idea," Caster said.
According to Caster, the project has devalued his property by more than $129,000 with the Hill County Appraisal District.
"I want Whitney to be involved in the plans that they're making that are gonna affect downtown. I mean, it's an eyesore right now. I mean, the, the structure still needs to be wrapped, you know, at least so that's visually kind of blocked," Caster said.
Caster's requests include moving the tower across the street, repairing Trinity Street, fixing substation floodlights, and installing a perimeter fence around the substation to improve the area's visual appeal.
A TNMP representative who attended the meeting said the company will address some road repairs and fix the floodlights at the substation. However, they are not considering adding a screen or fence to hide the substation and cannot move the pole across the street.
Caster remains concerned about the impact on the community. "We need to take care of our city. We need to make sure that we don't get steamrolled on projects like this," he said.
Read the full statement from TNMP:
TNMP is replacing an existing wooden transmission structure located within a public road right-of-way, not on private property.
We have listened to the resident’s concerns and, as a result, have agreed to relocate the new pole 15 feet south-- placing it as far from the building as reasonably possible while maintaining safe engineering standards and avoiding conflicts with adjacent property owners.
In response to concerns raised by the property owner, we are replacing it with a self-supporting steel structure that eliminates the need for guy wires—reducing the overall footprint and encumbrances in the area.
Our approach—using a self-supporting steel structure—allows us to avoid installing multiple guy wires or additional poles, which would otherwise be required to change the line’s direction. This solution represents the safest, most efficient way to meet system needs while minimizing community impact.
Additionally, TNMP is coordinating with the City of Whitney to repair the portion of the street near the substation that may have been impacted during construction. We’re also adjusting lighting at the station in response to this resident’s request to reduce its effect on the nearby property.
TNMP remains committed to being a good neighbor and has made every effort to accommodate the concerns brought to our attention.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
