Spectrum May Get One Last Chance

By MARK EVANS

STE. GENEVIEVE HERALD

After previously pulling Spectrum’s permit for laying cable, the Ste. Genevieve County Commission opted to give the company one final chance.

Paul G. Berra, director of government affairs for Missouri-Central Region for Spectrum, joined Chris Tucker and other Spectrum personnel in pleading their case during last Thursday’s commission meeting.

This time Presiding Commissioner Garry Nelson passed around photos of some of the offenses MasTec and other subcontractors hired by Spectrum have committed.

Among the latest was a MasTec trailer left parked on Jackson School Road, blocking part of the roadway between Kinsey and DD. Nelson called the Sheriff’s Department, but it had been moved before personnel could get there. Equipment has been left, partially blocking roads, overnight with no lights or cones.

Nelson used a contractor working for Citizens Electric on Highway 61 as an example of how jobs should be done. The contractor had signs and flagmen in both directions, in compliance with regulations.

“They know, that if CEC gets one call, complaining, they’ll be fired,” he said.

Spectrum does not run such a tight ship. Spectrum personnel had met three times before with the commissioners, promising to reign in their contractors. In addition to the safety issues, they have also installed pedestals on private property and in county ditches where crews need to mow and to grade snow in the winter. Rocks have also been left in ditches and on county and private property.

Nelson told the visitors the commission had been “very patient” with them, but that the patience had run out.

“Nothing’s happening,” he said. “How do we get your attention?”

He added that, “We’ve just had it.”

“It’s got to get better,” Second District Commissioner Randy Ruzicka said. “You’ve got to leave things the way you found them.”

First District Commissioner Karen Stuppy old them the commissioners “have to protect the residents and have to protect the county.”