Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Broadband Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Calcasieu Parish approves right-of-way agreement with VEXUS Fiber for unincorporated areas
Summary
The Police Jury approved a model right-of-way agreement with VEXUS Fiber LLC to extend fiber in unincorporated Calcasieu Parish; VEXUS said construction will begin in Sulphur and expand north toward Westlake and Quincy.
The Calcasieu Parish Police Jury on Jan. 30, 2025 approved a right-of-way use agreement with VEXUS Fiber LLC that allows the company to install fiber-optic infrastructure in unincorporated areas of the parish.
The motion to approve the agreement was made by Juror Burley and seconded by Juror Eason and carried without recorded opposition. The agreement was described in the meeting as a model form; the parish expects similar agreements with other providers in the future.
Ryan Taylor, project director and construction director for VEXUS Fiber’s statewide rollout, told jurors the company plans to build from the south side of Lake Charles past Ham Reid Road, move into Sulphur and begin construction inside Sulphur city limits the week following the meeting. “I plan on starting at Sulphur inside city limits next week,” Taylor said, adding the build-out is expected to expand north of Sulphur and into the Westlake area “to, hopefully expand and keep building for everybody here.”
Jurors asked about coverage gaps and the geographic focus for the initial rollout. Several jurors said parts of northern and western unincorporated parish remain underserved and pressed staff to ensure the agreement’s construction provisions and contractor cleanup rules prevent cable and equipment from being left in roadside ditches.
A juror noted engineering and parish staff had been asked to review the agreement to strengthen enforcement language; staff and a parish official told the Jury they believed the agreement contained adequate measures to require contractors to clean up and restore rights-of-way.
The Jury approved the resolution authorizing the agreement and directed staff to coordinate routing and enforcement steps with VEXUS and engineering. Staff will return with follow-up as construction progresses.
