Page 12/The Sun and News, Saturday, May 18, 2024MetroNet to expand Kentwood fiber internet buildout into Gaines Township
James Gemmell
Contributing Writer
A residential internet ser-
vice provider plans to install a
fiber connection in Gaines
Charter Township soon.
The township board gave its
unanimous blessing Monday
night when it voted 7-0 to
approve a METRO Act permit
request from Metro Fibernet,
LLC. The company’s brand
name is MetroNet.
METRO Act stands forMetropolitan Extension
Telecommunications Rights-
of-Way Oversight Act. Under
the 2002 Michigan statute,
municipalities must approve
or deny access to public right-
of ways within 45 days fromthe date a provider files a per-
mit application.
The Evansville, Ind.-based
company is the nation’s largest
independently owned, 100
percent fiber optic provider. It
already is doing a major fiber
buildout in the City of
Kentwood, and “it has been
going well,” Gaines Township
Manager Rod Weersing said
after the board meeting.
The company claims it
offers residential internet con-
nection speeds of up to two
gigabits and as fast as 10 giga-
bits for businesses. MetroNet
has been hiring local market
managers, plus sales and cus-
tomer-service staff and service
technicians as it expands its
reach in Greater Grand Rapids.
The service area in Gaines
Township will be between
60th Street, which is a shared
border with Kentwood, and
M-6, and between Division
and East Paris avenues.
“There will be an opportu-
nity for competition with
(existing provider) Comcast
(XFinity),” Weersing said.
“So, many of our residents
only have one option for high-
speed internet, and this will
give them another viable solu-
tion for those needs.”
Two MetroNet executives
answered questions from the
township board about the
planned buildout. Mike
Cannon is the company’s gov-
ernment affairs manager, and
David Fritz is the senior con-
struction manager.
Township Supervisor Rob
DeWard told them he has
heard concerns about the cost
the company supposedly
charged residents in another
community to connect up to
the fiber network.
“It’s an outrageous number.
What would you say is a typi-
cal connection fee?” DeWard
asked.
“Zero,” Fritz responded.
“We don’t charge when the
(customer) connects to the ser-
vice. If they choose to obtain
our service, then we go in and
do installation and whatever
package they pick from. But
for us to come through and
build past their house, they’re
not even charged then.”
Cannon said the monthly
cost for the fiber internet ser-
vice ranges between $40 and
$100, depending on the level
of service the customer wants.
He said there is not a one-time
connection fee.
“Just like what Surf Internet
is doing, just like what Comcast
does in most areas. They’ll get
you into the monthly charge,
typically with some kind of a
contract,” Weersing said.
DeWard said he heard from
a supervisor in an unnamed
rural township that MetroNet
charged $7,000 for a residen-
tial connection fee.
Cannon, who supervises the
company’s fiber-optic infra-
structure in Michigan, said a
prohibitive cost may be
incurred only if a fiber line has
to be extended a couple miles
to connect to a home.
“That might be a situationwhere we split a cost or some-
thing. Because, again, for us to
put two miles of fiber in the
ground for one house, it’s not
good business,” he said.
DeWard asked if the instal-
lation agreement with the
township has a provision con-
trolling connection costs.
“No, it’s not part of the
METRO Act,” Weersing
replied. “All of their competi-
tion is not charging a connec-
tion fee. So, if they want to do
business, they’ll sell their pack-
ages at a competitive price.”
MetroNet serves both resi-
dential and business custom-
ers. Cannon said they both
have the same level of need in
terms of the speed and reliabil-
ity of the internet service.
“That’s the big thing now.
With the standard fiber coax,
we’re providing symmetrical
up and down, the gig-over-gig
speed — probably not a lot of
that around. So, that’s what
people are really kind of clam-
oring for and we want to pro-
vide,” Cannon said.
Trustee Tim Haagsma said
MetroNet has been “less than
stellar” with some of its resto-
ration work. He is also Director
of Traffic & Safety with the
Kent County Road Commission.
“I’ve seen it, I’ve heard it
from our inspectors. So, just
be aware that you’ve got to
keep up on that,” Haagsma
told Cannon and Fritz.
He added that an unspeci-
fied railroad company alleged-
ly was not consulted before
fiber lines were installed on its
property somewhere in Kent
County a while back.
“I hope that is not indicative
of (your) business,” Haagsma
told the MetroNet executives.
“Because you went through
their property without their per-
mission. The railroad owns that
property. The road commission
has an easement over the rail-
road’s property. And you didn’t
get permission ... So, just be
aware that your reputation is
not as good as what I would
hope it would be.”
Under a 1993 Michigan law
(MCL 462.265), wires and
electrical lines cannot be
strung across a railroad or
street railway right-of-way
unless notification is firstgiven to the railroad company.
And for crossings at any other
location, notification must not
only be given, but the railroad
company must respond posi-
tively or negatively within 90
days after the request is
received. However, the statute
does not apply to underground
cables.
“We notify all the railroads
when we have a crossing,” Fritz
said. “We pull permits ... There
is a legal precedent set that we
have to give them notification
when we’re crossing in a public
area and not a private crossing,
which we do. We give them
notification that we are planning
on crossing these tracks in the
air or in the ground.”
Fritz added that about 80
percent of the fiber installation
in Gaines Township will be
underground, as opposed to
aerial. That is because there
are a lot of utility poles, and it
is a time-consuming process to
get applications through utility
companies. Installing the fiber
underground prevents project
delays.
As for service restoration,
Fritz said MetroNet occasion-
ally runs into problems with
contractors it employs.
“We’ve got people in the
field to identify that and cor-
rect it. And we will not ignore
anything that gets poorly
restored. We have a notifica-
tion process for your residents.
They can call us and get a call
back within 24 hours from a
local person here to address
any issue that they have. And
it’s corrected in less than eight
days to their satisfaction,”
Fritz said.
MetroNet typically runs
about 50,000 to 60,000 feet of
fiber line per week. Fritz said
the lines usually are installed
36 inches deep, depending on
a municipality’s requirements.
Fritz said MetroNet has a
main feeder line running along
60th Street between Division
and East Paris avenues. And
connectors are set up north of
M-6.
The MetroNet officials said
they plan to stay in touch with
township officials when they
begin submitting requests for
individual construction per-
mits in Gaines.(^) VILLAGE OF CALEDONIA^217149
COUNTY OF KENT, MICHIGAN
NOTICE OF ADOPTION OF ORDINANCE TO AMEND VARIOUS
PROVISIONS OF THE VILLAGE CODE TO REMOVE REFERENCES
TO THE VILLAGE MARSHAL, THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
WORKS DIRECTOR AND THE VILLAGE HEALTH OFFICER AND TO
AMEND REFERENCES TO THE VILLAGE FIRE CHIEF TO THE
TOWNSHIP FIRE CHIEF
PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on May 13, 2024, the Caledonia Village Council
adopted Ordinance No. 24-009 a regulatory ordinance to amend various provisions of the Village
Code. The principal provisions of the ordinance are summarized as follows:
The Ordinance generally changed references using only masculine pronouns to also include
feminine pronouns or to reference a specific Village position.
Section 1 of the Ordinance amended Section 3.1 to provide that the Village Council may designate
the Public Service Department to perform duties regarding maintenance and repair of public streets,
sidewalks, alleys and other public ways.
Section 2 amended Section 3.3 to provide that work regarding public sidewalks shall be performed
under the direction of the Public Service Department and that a sidewalk in disrepair includes other
conditions or kinds of disrepair as determined by the DPW Foreman. It also provides that after
adoption of a resolution regarding sidewalks, the Village Manager is required to give written notice
to the owner of the adjacent lot or premises.
Section 3 amended Section 3.4(1) to change the reference to the Director of Public Service to the
Department of Public Service.
Section 4 amended Section 3.5 to remove references to the Public Service Director and to provide
that the DPW Foreman is responsible for investigations regarding permits and to determine if permit
applications shall be granted.
Section 5 amended Section 3.6(9) to change the reference to the Public Service Director to the Public
Service Department.
Section 6 amended Section 3.7 to provide that the DPW Foreman shall review applications regarding
driveways and that driveways shall be constructed only of materials and in such a manner as
specified by the Public Service Department.
Section 7 amended Section 8.3(2) to change the reference to the Public Service Director to the
Village Manager.
Section 8 amended Section 8.9(3) to change references to the Public Service Director to the Public
Service Department.
Section 9 amended Section 8.4(4) to change references to the Village Marshal to the Kent County
Sheriff’s Department.
Section 10 amended Section 9.6(11) to change the reference to the Village Marshal to the Kent
County Sheriff’s Department.
Section 11 amended Section 8.12(4) to remove the reference to the Village Marshal.
Section 12 amended Section 8.13(3) to remove references to the Village Marshal and to provide that
if public safety requires immediate action regarding a dangerous structure, the Village Council may
abate the public nuisance.
Section 13 amended Section 8.21(8) to change the reference to the Village Fire Chief to the Fire
Chief of the Charter Township of Caledonia and remove the reference to the Village Police Chief.
Section 14 amended Section 9.1(4) to remove the references to the Village Marshal and the Village
Health Officer and to change the reference to the Village Fire Chief to the Fire Chief of the Charter
Township of Caledonia. It was also amended to provide that an application for a license may be
referred to the Kent County Health Department or other appropriate municipal agency.
Section 15 amended Section 9.2(3) to provide that applications for a license to operate a restaurant
shall be investigated by the Kent County Health Department.
Section 16 amended Section 9.7(4) to remove the reference to the Village Marshal and to change the
references to the Village Fire Chief to the Fire Chief of the Charter Township of Caledonia. It also
changed references to the Village Health Officer to the Kent County Health Department.
Section 17 amended Section 10.2 to change references to the Village Health Officer to the Kent
County Sheriff’s Department. It also provides that the Kent County Health Department shall be
responsible for the inspection process for restaurants within the Village.
Section 18 provides that the Ordinance shall become effective upon publication of a summary of its
provisions.
A complete copy of the ordinance is on file and may be inspected or purchased at the office of the
Village Clerk, Village of Caledonia, 250 S. Maple Street, Caledonia, Michigan, during Village office
hours.
Dated: May 16, 2024 VILLAGE COUNCIL OF THE
VILLAGE OF CALEDONIA
MetroNet executives David Fritz (left) and Mike
Cannon (right) explain to the Gaines Township Board
at its May 13 meeting where fiber connections will be
installed east of Division Avenue and south of 60th
Street. (Photo by James Gemmell)