FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. (WDRB) — A stop work order remains in place for Lumos, the company installing fiber optic cable in Floyd County, after weeks of complaints about damaged property and unsafe construction practices.
The decision came during a meeting of the Floyd County Commissioners, where George Kemp, Lumos’ director of construction relations, addressed the backlash. Kemp, who previously led Indiana’s 8-1-1 system, the agency responsible for coordinating utility markings before excavation, acknowledged mistakes.
“We’ve fired a couple of subs (subcontractors) who worked for us in this area,” Kemp told commissioners. “They will never be working for us ever again.”
The ongoing concerns stem from work done in neighborhoods like Cobblers Crossing in New Albany, where residents said contractors moved quickly but carelessly, leaving holes unfilled for days and causing damage to yards and utilities.
“Whether speed was what you wanted or not, we had a lot of unsafe conditions,” said Commissioner Al Knable. “I hadn't had as many complaints cumulatively in all my time in public office as I did in that one week.”
One of the biggest issues raised has been the number of utility strikes, including to natural gas lines.
“We obviously had some very serious issues involving natural gas and other utilities,” said Commissioner Jason Sharp. “It may or may not have been all on Lumos — it could have been other utilities as well.”
Casey Angel, director of corporate communications for Lumos Fiber said of the four utility strikes recently reported, two were unrelated to Lumos and one of them was due to incorrect marking of the gas line.
Adding to the confusion is how Lumos received permission to install cable along the front lot lines of homes, rather than in rear easements where utilities are typically buried.
“Nobody can really explain or understand how or who did what,” one official said.
Under Indiana law, utility companies are allowed to install infrastructure in established easements, leaving homeowners with little recourse even when property is disrupted.
Lumos is scheduled to meet again with Floyd County officials on Monday. If progress is made, construction could resume as early as next week. Until then, torn-up streets and lingering frustration remain in several neighborhoods.
The full statement from Lumos Fiber is below:
“At Lumos, we remain deeply committed to our neighbors in Floyd County - we value the strong partnership we've built with local leadership and look forward to continuing that collaboration, which includes upcoming meetings with county officials to ensure a seamless and complete restoration.
Of the four utility strikes recently reported, two were unrelated to Lumos, and one of our strikes was due to incorrect marking of the gas line. However, we will continue to work tirelessly to prevent any further disruptions. We are eager to highlight the restoration efforts with local HOA leaders and county representatives.
Our team continues to be inspired by the community’s interest in the advantages of fiber optic internet. We have made significant investments to build the infrastructure needed to deliver this advanced technology to nearly 80,000 residents across the region.”
Previous Coverage:
Judge issues immediate stop-work order for fiber optic installation in Floyd County
Floyd County halts fiber optic work after resident complaints, multiple gas line strikes
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