Ask ELi: Digging in Glencairn Neighborhood Disrupts Water/Sewer Lines

As lingering summer construction and utility work continues to close roads and bring orange barrels into East Lansing, ELi reader Ben Eysselinck contacted us in mid-August about digging going on in the Glencairn neighborhood. He wrote:

A company is laying underground fiber in the Glencairn neighborhood using directional drilling. There was no notice given to anyone and they are doing it in a way that is breaking the recently replaced water/sewer lines.

ELi reached out to Eysselinck to learn more.

“I came home yesterday afternoon and found holes in my front yard here on Northlawn [Avenue],” he said. “Apparently, they’re doing this all over Glencairn, but there was no notice given. They’re putting in fiber for MetroNet, or LightSpeed as it was known [LightSpeed was purchased by Metronet in 2019]. They have been digging so quickly and without scoping or figuring out where they should be digging. They’ve [broken or disturbed] water lines at three different residences.”

Eysselinck could not identify house numbers of the other properties, but was told by city workers they had other residences that required similar fixes. He called the City of East Lansing’s Department of Public Works to correct the problem.

“Apparently, this company is known by the East Lansing employees,” he said. “I don’t blame the city at all for this. They have been exemplary.”

ELi spoke with the City’s Acting Director of Public Works Ron Lacasse to inquire about the digging.  He was able to confirm that city workers had responded to incidents associated with the digging in Glencairn. ELi could not confirm if the company had been granted permission to dig.

The company trucks in the Glencairn neighborhood carry the name of ANB Communications, Inc. and a phone number that, when called, responded via text message. After asking about their work and the disruption to water and sewer lines, the texter responded with, “Sir, I am not at liberty to discuss any work that ANB does as we are under contract that all the work we do is private and privileged information.”

A search of ANB Communications, Inc. shows the company has existed since September 2022 out of Saline, Michigan, and is owned by Alexandru Avram Baciu.

The trucks show decals covering up old artwork and information, including a phone number used by International, Inc., a company that had been contracted by MetroNet to do similar work in Meridian Township and was banned from future work there.

ELi reached out to Dan Opsonmer, Meridian Township’s Deputy Manager and Director of Public Works, to inquire about their ban on the company.

“Predominantly, the issues we experienced with the contractor in particular were poor performance in locating underground utilities and hitting underground utilities,” he said. “They were digging very close in proximity to a gas leak. No one was hurt and nothing was damaged, but you should never dig near an active gas leak. One spark could cause the whole thing to explode.

“They hit at least two water utilities. [The problem] wasn’t so much hitting it. That happens sometimes when they’re not marked,” Opsonmer said. “But they hit marked ones. That kind of stupefied us.”

According to Opsonmer, at the time of their alleged faulty digging in Meridian Township, International, Inc. was digging for MetroNet.

ELi’s investigation into International showed multiple instances of the company being fined or taken to court, often because of work it was completing for Metronet.

In 2017, International, Inc. was fined $13,500 in Indianapolis. Two years later, they were required to respond to allegations made by Kentucky’s Public Works Commission that it violated the state’s Underground Facility Damage Prevention Act.

During ELi’s reporting process, we did not find a connection between ANB Communications, Inc. and International, Inc.

ELi reached out to Metronet to inquire about its subcontractor process and the record of disruption the work of its subcontractors has created. Ben Ruzick, Metronet Government Affairs Director, provided comment through the company’s public relations official.

“As we work to deploy service in East Lansing,” he said, “it has always been our goal to do so quickly and safely. Occasionally, the construction of our infrastructure can cause minor disturbances. Any resident concerned about construction or property restoration may submit a ticket via Metronet’s construction website at construction.metronetinc.com or call 877-386-3876. All customer tickets are responded to within 24 hours.”

Have you been disrupted by digging in your area? Or do you have a question for ELi? Ask ELi here.