By Sean Ruppert, Staff Writer
EAST WINDSOR Twin Rivers Homeowners Association board President Scott Pohl wants information from Verizon on its cable TV installation project, and he may just get it next week.
Mr. Pohl says Verizon has not stuck to its plan on how it would install infrastructure needed to provide its fiber optic services to Twin Rivers. More specifically, he says Verizon told the community it would be digging to run its lines primarily behind residents’ properties in common grounds. Instead, he said, Verizon went through many residents’ front lawns to lay its lines.
”The plan they presented had a minimal impact on people’s property,” Mr. Pohl said. “What they did had a maximum.”
Mr. Pohl did say, however, the company did a good job repairing the property where it dug, and all digging was completed by the end of 2008.
And while he knows some residents already have the service, Mr. Pohl is critical of the lack of communication on the exact status of Verizon’s project.
”There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to how they have proceeded,” he said. “We really don’t know what they have completed and what they haven’t.”
On the positive side, Mr. Pohl said he has a conference call set up with Verizon for sometime next week.
”I would really like to be brought up to speed on what they are doing and what their plans are going forward,” he said.
Verizon spokesman Rich Young said Thursday that he had not heard of the complaints and did not know all the specifics of the project, but would look into them. He said Verizon generally alerts residents about 30 days before digging, and the company is open to meeting with concerned residents.
Verizon previously received state approval to bypass the municipal approval system to install its infrastructure. But it did appear before the East Windsor Township Council before starting.
East Windsor Mayor Janice Mironov said this week that the township has received some complaints about Verizon installations in other parts of the township, but said there were not more than she would expect for a project of that size. She added Verizon had been cooperative in resolving complaints.
