NORTH ATTLEBORO - Questions about whether electricity has been run to the gate on Allen Avenue East without selectmen's knowledge sparked some controversy among board members last week.

Selectman Michael Thompson said electricity has been run part way to the gate, and questioned whether the move was made because of his proposal to open the road to motorists.

"For 10 years, it sat there closed. There had never even been power run to it," Thompson said. "Suddenly, there is electrical power there."

Allen Avenue East, which runs past Fashion Crossing on Route 1 and connects with Old Post Road, has been closed to motorists for almost 10 years.

An electronic gate to provide access for the town's emergency vehicles was installed several years go, but it has never worked because it does not have electrical service. North Attleboro Electric Department General manager James Moynihan said the electric gate still does not work properly, and would need poles or underground wiring to be installed.

"Any representation that we have done work over there is erroneous," he said.

Thompson said that while the gate does not have power, he understands work was recently done on the roadway leading to it.

At Thursday's selectmen's meeting, he raised questions about the project and whether Electric Commission Chairman Thomas Corrigan, who lives in the area and had previously opposed opening the road to general traffic, had any involvement.

"Mr. Corrigan serves as chairman of the electric commission and does not want the road open. Why all of the sudden, after 10 years of absolutely nothing being done, is power put down there? Where was this stuff 10 years ago? Where was it all two years ago?" Thompson said. "I find it fascinating the minute someone starts to do something about (opening the road), things start to happen."

However, Thompson backed off those statements Friday after speaking to Corrigan about the issue.

"I didn't mean to reference him in a bad light," Thompson said. "I said it wrong. I didn't mean to say that I thought he was personally involved with it. My point was that for 10 years nothing has happened, and all the sudden things are happening out there now."

When contacted by The Sun Chronicle, Corrigan confirmed that he spoke to Thompson Thursday night, and told him he had nothing to do with any work done on Allen Avenue East.

"I have no idea what he was talking about. I don't have any authority over this stuff," Corrigan said.

The proposal to reopen the road to traffic will be up for consideration at October's semi-annual town meeting. Thompson said he believes that traffic patterns are already set, and Old Post Road will not see an increase in traffic because motorists already use the street to cut through to Route 1, anyway.

"The same traffic has been running down Old Post Road for the last 10 years - they use Draper Avenue," he said.

Selectman Dale Langille pointed out that traffic on Allen Avenue, on the opposite side of Route 1 and where the fire station is located, is often heavy but the road remains open.

The town's traffic study committee, which includes representatives from the police and fire departments, has urged the town to leave the road closed.

Fire Chief Peter Lamb advocated for the continued closure of the road, saying it provides critical access to the shopping plazas near Emerald Square mall during an emergency.

"It's important for us to be able to get the ambulance through," he said.

Selectman Paul Belham agreed, saying, "On the citizen side, I would love to see the road open. But the public safety side of me says it's not the right thing to do. We all know what traffic is like down there. The gridlock is just unbelievable in the (holiday) season."

RTM members will make the final decision on the road's status in October.