The Town of Carrollton, Town of North Carrollton, and several water associations in Carroll County are starting to feel the unwanted price tag of phone companies’ boring fiber-optic lines in the area. They want to be clear – they’re not against anyone getting better internet service; however; they’re not too happy about the money they’re having to spend that was allocated for something else.
Galen Shumaker, who’s over the water department for both towns and head of the Poplar Creek Water Association, told Supervisors Monday, along with mayors Pam Lee and Ken Strachan, that it would help the towns and the water associations if they were able to see the plans ahead of time when they are submitted.
Shumaker said AT&T sent off 40 lines that needed to be located and marked. The markings help the company know where the lines are so they won’t hit them.
“We can’t do that, nobody can,” Shumaker said. He said when the board receives the plans, before they approve them, they’re hoping the board will allow them to see them.
“Before y’all approve them, can y’all contact the water associations where they’re going to be?” Shumaker said.
“If you say ‘Hey, they’re going to be on the left side of County Road 126, I’d say hey that’s fine it’s on the right side. And if it’s on the same side, I’d ask if they can go to the other side,” Shumaker said.
Strachan said the marking off the water lines costs North Carrollton $14,000 and Shumaker said it cost the Poplar Creek Water Association $11,000 and the water association only services 200 people.
“We didn’t budget for it,” Strachan said. “Now we’re not against anyone getting internet, but we didn’t plan for it, and it hurts the budget.”
Their only request is that someone will tell them ahead of time so they can properly plan.
Lee said they’re not notified all the time when AT&T is in the area working until they show up in the area.
“We were sent 41 locates Thursday all the way down Highway 35 from Teoc to North Carrollton. And, I know it’s not all county roads, its state highway and I have a meeting with [Northern Transportation Commissioner] John Caldwell to talk to him about it, too,” Shumaker said.
Shumaker said there are several in the area that is working on placing fiber optics. AT&T, CSpire, and Delta Electric.
Board Attorney Kevin Horan told Shumaker that he would talk to someone with AT&T about their concern.
“I’ve tried and tried and tried to talk to them, but no one listens,” Shumaker said.
