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Newburg man unhappy with father-in-law's phone serviceKINGWOOD, Jan 03, 2013 (The Dominion Post - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Preston County Commissioners heard from Ralph Jenkins, of Newburg, on Wednesday regarding his dissatisfaction with Frontier Communications. Commissioners agreed to write a letter to the state Public Service Commission with their concerns about customer service in Preston County. Jenkins told commissioners he was repeatedly told by Frontier that his 87-year-old father-in-law's phone service would be reconnected, but service was out for 4 1/2 days. "I don't think our quality of life should go down," Jenkins told commissioners. He said he moved here in 1977 and though his phone is no longer a party line, "the phone is not dependable and the Internet is a joke." Jenkins said his fatherin-law's phone problem was not a result of the Oct. 29 storm, but started after Thanksgiving. Nevertheless, it wasn't until he contacted the Preston County Commission and someone called Frontier on his behalf that his father-in-law's service was restored. Two trucks showed up 25 minutes after County Administrator Kathy Mace called Frontier, he said. "Once they pulled into his driveway, it took them 17 minutes to restore service." Jenkins asked, "Why would anyone consider moving here, living here or raising a family here when we don't have the services other parts of the country consider standard " Commissioner Vicki Cole suggested commissioners draft a letter to the Public Service Commission outlining his concerns, and urged him to do the same. "You're not the only one -- you're just the only one who has brought their concerns to us," she said. Jennings agreed. "We will get something out to them." Also Wednesday, commissioners: Re-elected Craig Jennings as commission president. Set dates to meet as the Board of Equalization and Review. Dates are: 10-11 a.m. Feb. 1; 7-8 p.m. Feb. 4; 9 a.m. Feb. 8 for minerals (a representative of the state Tax Department will be on hand); 11 a.m.-noon Feb. 11; and 9-10 a.m. Feb. 15. Reappointed Dale Davis to a six-year term commencing Feb. 15 on the board of Public Service District No. 2. Reappointed Ron Crites to the board of Preston Health Care Corp., the parent corporation of Preston Memorial Hospital. Reappointed JoAnn Peterson to serve on the board of the Greater Morgantown Convention and Visitors Bureau. Heard a wrap-up report from former Litter Control Officer Rich McCrobie, whose resignation was effective Dec. 31. McCrobie said that between 2009 and 2012, 356,280 pounds of trash was picked up in Preston County, along with 5,222 tires. He urged commissioners to work with Community Corrections to get crews back out along roadways. "Road cleanup is very important," he said, and last year's cleanups "were only a third of what we did in years past." Agreed to allow Preston E-911 Director Duane Hamilton to move dispatcher Sam Sisler to part time, at Sisler's request, and promote dispatcher Miriah Moury to full time. Moury, who has just completed her probationary employment, will go from $9.75 per hour to $10.50 per hour effective Jan. 12. ___ (c)2013 The Dominion Post (Morgantown, W.Va.) Visit The Dominion Post (Morgantown, W.Va.) at www.dominionpost.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |