Public comments: Waco volunteer fire department thanks commissioners; farmers press for better utility-line communication

Several members of the public used the meeting’s public-comment period to raise community items. Marvin Hutchison, president of the Waco Volunteer Fire Department board, thanked commissioners for their support of a planned satellite station on Highway 150 between Waco and the new bypass and said the station would improve response times around Moss Lake and nearby areas.

During a special presentation, Andrew White of ASR Grama Company (speaking for Luke Bean and the Farm Bureau) described multiple instances in which leased communications lines (he cited Spectrum and AT&T) sagged or were routed at low heights and struck agricultural equipment, once pulling down power lines and creating a potentially dangerous situation. White asked the county to help convene utility representatives, farmers and other stakeholders to improve maintenance and communications — he suggested an 811-style reporting or single contact number for low-line incidents and invited commissioners to a Farm Bureau meeting on Monday, July 15 with AT&T, Spectrum and Duke Power representatives.

A board member confirmed Duke Power had been contacted and would attend the meeting; commissioners said they would try to help facilitate improved communication while noting utilities are regulated at state and federal levels.

Marvin Hutchison also criticized AT&T’s maintenance response in his area, saying repairs can be slow and citing a pole left standing in a pasture for more than a year after a collision. Commissioners acknowledged the problem and discussed options for improving enforcement and contact routes with utilities.