MetroNet tells South Elgin it will 'do better' after complaints about damage, public urination

MetroNet representatives vowed to take action following South Elgin residents' complaints on social media and said they will provide monthly updates to village officials.

"I want you to know we are here to do better," Kathy Scheller, who works in external affairs for the Indiana-based company, told the village board Monday night.

Village officials had encouraged residents and company representatives to attend the board meeting. MetroNet has been installing a high-speed fiber optic network along right of way easements throughout the village, and residents have lodged complaints - some with the village, many on social media - about damage to yards and even public urination. The latter caused one subcontractor's worker to be fired earlier this year.

As of Friday, MetroNet had installed more than 136,000 feet of fiber network throughout the village to provide access to more than 2,300 buildings, mostly homes and some businesses, Scheller said. There were 170 "tickets," or calls from residents, she said. The vast majority - 129 - were questions, 30 were about the restoration of yards and three were about damages to cables and the like, she said.

Trustee Mike Kolodziej said he received three letters of complaint about the company saying workers left garbage behind and yards in poor condition. He called the public urination issue "mortifying." "Our village is not a toilet. We're not a trash can."

Resident Diane Maurer said she attempted in vain to communicate with MetroNet because she was concerned the work would damage her sprinkler system.

Trustee Jennifer Barconi asked the company to focus on communicating better with residents and properly alerting them to the timing of the work.

The company sends a letter followed by a postcard, then places markers along easements to alert the work is going to take place, Scheller said. A recent policy calls for placing sticky notes on doors when workers knock and no one is home, she said.

Another resident said he was glad the company was building a fiber optic network, but said workers must ensure they close property gates for the safety of kids and animals.

Scheller said MetroNet will "really talk" to subcontractors during pre-construction meetings. "I think it's important we fix things," she said.

Village officials reminded residents they should lodge formal complaints and not just post on social media.

Village President Steve Ward called for tolerance. His own yard was left in less-than-ideal condition, but it only took him 10 minutes to fix it up, he said.