The Town of Lexington may enter into a new fiber-optic franchise agreement.

This development comes after a stop-work order was issued to a previous contractor, Ripple Fiber, in January 2025.

The potential agreement is not necessarily related to the Ripple Fiber stop-work order. 2026 also saw a stop-work order regarding Lumos. 

Franchise agreements are required with any utility provider. All the town's fiber-optic franchise agreements are identical as of now.

Councilman Gavin Smith told the Chronicle that town council is considering strengthening any potential ordinances related to utility provider franchise agreements in an effort to tighten regulation standards for these providers. Any ordinance changes would aim to promote safer and more efficient installation processes. These changes would also aim to prevent damage to Lexington locals' properties. 

On Jan. 15, Town Administrator Rachel Gleaton presented town council with a proposed franchise agreement with Windstream/Kinetic Fiber. According to council documents, the agreement follows a previous franchise agreement the town had with Alltel in 1991 before the company's merger with Windstream.

Councilman Todd Lyle talked about the fiber industry's construction practices, describing the process as "fast and loose." He said he wanted to ensure the town had proper procedures in place to maintain order and hold contractors accountable during construction, particularly when working in utility easements.

"I can count on more than one hand the number of utility hits that have caused stop-work disruptions," Lyle said. "I have been a part of those meetings, and I think it would be foolish to expect anything different."

Gleaton said that after the town implemented franchise agreements with Ripple Fiber and Lumos Fiber, it was able to hold contractors accountable and enforce construction requirements.

The proposed partnership was reintroduced because Windstream already had an existing agreement with the town.

As the company continues expanding and upgrading its fiber network, town officials have the opportunity to revise and update the previous agreement.

"We have met numerous times with Windstream," Gleaton said. "They are fully aware of what is required of them. We have a much better relationship with Windstream now."

Gleaton also confirmed that the proposed franchise agreement mirrors the agreements previously used with Ripple Fiber and Lumos Fiber in 2024.

Councilwoman Jeannie Michaels and Councilman Gavin Smith expressed concerns that the agreement should be stringent enough to hold the company accountable for damages and ensure it meets the town's expectations.

Council members and Mayor Hazel Livingston also discussed working with state lawmakers to explore updates to the state's utility digging regulations, also know as the 811 law. In other words, updated legislation or regulations would aim to provide additional protections for residents during utility construction projects once a franchise agreement is in place. 

Council voted unanimously to place the matter on the agenda for its July 6 meeting.