Local Government
Mayor Reeves Puts Utility Contractors on Notice Over Right-of-Way Damage
AT&T and T-Mobile subcontractors installing fiber have left a trail of broken irrigation lines, torn-up sod, and damaged sewer infrastructure across Pensacola neighborhoods—and the mayor isn’t letting it slide.
Pensacola Mayor D.C. Reeves has sent formal letters to subcontractors working on behalf of AT&T and T-Mobile, demanding an end to the recurring damage their fiber-optic installation crews have been leaving behind in city rights-of-way. Reeves announced the action at a press conference Tuesday, April 28, and released the letter publicly.
The letter, addressed from the Office of the Mayor and titled “Concerns and Expectations for Work Performed in the City Right-of-Way,” lays out a pattern of damage the city has documented and sets clear expectations for how the companies must operate going forward. Read CoP Right_of_Way.
What’s Been Damaged
The mayor’s letter identifies a list of recurring problems caused by the contractors’ work:
- Irrigation lines cut or popped
- Sod and landscaping destroyed
- Communication lines damaged
- Water and sewer facilities disrupted
- Gas lines affected
- Failure to repair damage within a reasonable timeframe
- “Persistent disregard for the inconvenience caused to residents and neighborhoods”
Reeves said residents have been calling him directly—sometimes on weekends—reporting backed-up sewer lines and yard damage, expecting the city to fix problems the contractors caused.
“We are not their customer service department. We expect good customer service for our city residents.”
— Mayor D.C. Reeves
What the Mayor Is Demanding
The letter outlines specific steps the companies must take immediately:
- Greater utility coordination before digging, including subsurface utility exploration, ground-penetrating radar, and in-field reviews with utility owners and property owners
- Proper contractor oversight from AT&T and T-Mobile themselves, not just their subcontractors
- Acting as “a reasonable and respectable partner” with Pensacola neighborhoods
- Timely and complete restoration of any infrastructure or property damaged during construction
A Pattern of City Pushback
Reeves framed the letter as consistent with the city’s past handling of similar friction with outside agencies. He pointed to two prior examples: working with FPL over tree-clearing practices along power line corridors after he took office, and intervening with TSA at Pensacola International Airport when the airport repeatedly appeared on federal “hot lists.”
In each case, the city pushed for better communication and process improvements even when it lacked direct legal authority over the outside agency. The fiber-optic contractors have a legal right to work in the public right-of-way—but Reeves made clear that legal permission doesn’t mean unconditional tolerance.
“They have a legal right in the right-of- way, but we aren’t going to sit idly by and say that isn’t our purview.”
— Mayor D.C. Reeves