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Internet service providers Shentel and Glo Fiber came under fire at Wednesday’s Frederick County Board of Supervisors meeting, with residents claiming property damage and carelessness by workers.

According to residents in the Westmoreland Drive area near Stephens City who spoke during a public comment period, work crews associated with those companies have wreaked havoc by refusing to stay in easements when laying fiber optic cables, imperiling trees, damaging yards and more.

“My concern is the fiber optic project that has been going through our neighborhood with no communication, no advanced warning. They come in, they start digging, and they cause all of this destruction in our yard,” Paula Tingle said. “No restoration, no remorse.”

Crews hired by Shentel and Glo Fiber were scrutinized as well as Verizon subcontractors.

Some of those who spoke thought the Shentel and Glo Fiber crews were working under county contract, but reached by phone the next day, county staff and supervisors said that’s not the case. “The companies are in no way shape or form under contract with the county,” said County Attorney Roderick Williams.

“This is not a county-licensed project. It is a company working by itself for itself,” said Supervisors Chairman Charles DeHaven. “I’ve gotten a lot of calls. What the citizens need to do is call the sheriff and report them for trespassing.”

“I have also experienced considerable damage to my property at the hands of the Verizon crew. They have cut the tree roots, and we are already losing that tree at a rapid rate,” said resident Kyra Pulliam. “They had to be forced to pick up trash from my driveway, and I had a very sick dog because of it. We are having similar problems with Shentel. I have literally had the opportunity to fuss at these folks on a regular basis.”

A representative from Glo Fiber addressed some of the complaints at the meeting.

“We hear the complaints. We do. And I’m sorry — that’s not the kind of company we strive to be, that’s the not the kind of company we intend to be. I will be in the lobby at the end of the meeting and want to make sure all of the complaints are satisfactorily resolved,” the representative said. “We’re investing millions of dollars in the community, and we’re not making that investment just to come out and make a mess of it.”

DeHaven responded: “You will have to convince us of that. Good luck.”

Reached by phone Thursday morning, the situation had not improved along Westmoreland Drive.

“They are back,” said Jerry Tingle. “They are back this morning digging up yards and out of their zone.” His wife added: “It’s a nightmare. What am I going to come home to?”

The Tingles are concerned they could lose 20-year-old Leyland cypress trees that act as a windbreak and afford their property privacy. Crews left wires exposed and wrapped around a tree when working last month, they said.

“I get phone calls like this all the time. You find out they are not staying in the easements,” said Supervisor Robert Wells (Opequon District). “The rapport between my constituents, other people in the county and the companies is in a really bad place. They (the crews) have actually said ‘get the heck out of my way,’ using worse language than that and they are going to do what they want to do. I’ve instructed my constituents to call the sheriff’s department at this point if they have a problem.”

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This is nothing new folks. 30 years ago, had the same problem in MD. If it wasn't Comcast, Verizon or the water department it was someone else. I just dealt with it without a bunch of complaining and moaning. It's life folks. A rake and a little grass seed can fix alot.

Not moaning Jake. A little notification would have been nice. They're also breaking concrete driveways and buckling pavement. It's called common courtesy. Good business practices. My guess is they skipped that step because they really don't care what the property owners think. It's called protecting profit at all costs.

Shentel of Edinburg, VA is responsible for this mess. They should be sued/charged for trespassing on and then damaging our property with no prior notice. They simply showed up unannounced, tore up our yards and concrete driveways and went about their way. Never knocking on our doors. Never notifying us of their destructive action. Actually, we did get notice, but it came two weeks after the invasion took place. This is not OK. Who does business like this? Someone needs to be held accountable. We can start by not givning them our business. Just ask anyone in Shenandoah County what their service is like. Don't fall for this company. They're a sham.

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