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Lumos representatives defend construction practices after county stop-work concerns
Summary
Lumos staff described contractor oversight and quality controls while commissioners said previous work prompted a stop-work order and cited property disruptions and safety concerns; commissioners said they want assurances before rescinding enforcement actions.
Lumos construction representatives and local residents spoke to the board about fiber-optic work in Floyd County. Resident Lili Lutgens praised Lumos during a public statement, saying the company was "great when they were putting fiber optics in her neighborhood."
George Kemp, Lumos' director of construction relations, told commissioners the company fires contractors that fail to meet its standards and described routine oversight. President Al Knable said the presentation did not match the county's experience: "I was surprised by the content of his presentation because if everything was as rosy as he said they would have never issued a stop work order." Commissioner Jason Sharp raised specific concerns about natural gas and other utilities, reporting holes left in yards and property disruption, and said the county needed to ensure residents were made whole before any stop-work order was rescinded. Building Director Nick Creevy said the county had a productive meeting with Lumos, CenterPoint and fire representatives and emphasized a safety-focused action plan was in progress.
Commissioners did not vote on rescinding the stop-work order in the meeting record; they sought assurances that utility safety and property remediation would be addressed before taking further action.
