Meridian Twp. issues cease-and-desist order to subcontractor due to safety concerns
Bryce AirgoodMeridian Township has issued a cease-and-desist order to a subcontractor working for an internet firm because of repeated public safety issues, a township official said.
Effective Thursday, Internattional Inc., a subcontractor for MetroNet, which is installing a fiber optic network in portions of the township, is no longer authorized to perform work in the township, according to a press release.
The order was issued after a worker disregarded commands from a township firefighter and the Department of Public Works Tuesday, as well as multiple resident complaints regarding the company’s restoration work, Assistant Township Manager and Director of Public Works Dan Opsommer said during a Friday phone call.
“Public safety and protecting our residents is paramount,” he said. “And so, when we learned of this issue, we immediately began taking steps to ensure that our residents are safe and that this contractor will no longer work in the township.”
Attempts to reach the owner of Internattional Inc. were unsuccessful. MetroNet said in an emailed statement the company was aware of the Tuesday incident.
"Metronet has a strong commitment to safety and will work with Meridian Township to address their concerns fully and speedily so we may continue building Metronet’s advanced high-speed fiber optic network," the company stated.
On Tuesday, the Meridian Township Fire Department and the Department of Public Works responded to a gas leak on Hickorywood Drive in Okemos caused by underground drilling performed by Internattional Inc, the township said in a release.
A Meridian Township firefighter reported that when they arrived an Internattional Inc. worker was digging in a hole near the gas leak, according to the release.
The Internattional Inc. worker was asked to stop digging, but did not comply until the firefighter forced the worker to leave the area so a safety perimeter could be established for Consumers Energy to repair the gas leak, according to the press release.
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Other issues include the company boring into a part of the township’s water distribution system in the Tacoma Hills neighborhood, requiring the township to perform emergency repairs to restore water service to a home, and trenching under the township’s sidewalk system, compromising its integrity, Opsommer said.
The company also did work on Kinawa Drive earlier this spring without an Ingham County Road Department permit. Internattional Inc. closed the right-hand turn lane at Okemos Road, near two middle schools, just as school was letting out, Opsommer said.
“Their timing of their work and how they were doing the work could not have been handled more poorly,” he said.
Opsommer said the cease-and-desist order was issued by Meridian Township Fire Chief Mike Hamel in consultation with the township’s attorneys, and MetroNet is abiding by it.
Internattional Inc. was working in multiple neighborhoods when the order went into effect, including Tacoma Hills, Sanders Tacoma Hills, Shaker Heights, Forest Hills, Cornell Woods and Cornell Woods North.
MetroNet is working to find a new subcontractor to complete Meridian Township work and will be required to update all existing permits before resuming work not related to backfilling holes, yard restoration and removing MISS DIG flags, the township said in its release.
Residents are being asked to leave MISS DIG flags in their yards. The township has asked MetroNet to complete all backfilling of holes, yard restoration work and to remove all appropriate MISS DIG flags by 5 p.m. July 13, according to the release.
People can contact the Meridian Township Department of Public Works at dpw@meridian.mi.us for more information.
Contact Bryce Airgood at 517-267-0448 or bairgood@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @bairgood123.