Whereas Tecumseh Town Council welcomes and values the investment in the delivery of services by public utilities to properties within municipal boundaries;
And Whereas significant upgrades and installations have been occurring to improve public utility services to residents and businesses of the Town of Tecumseh;
And Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in an indefinite shift to work-from-home activities for many residents;
And Whereas residents are more reliant than ever on the continued daytime maintenance of public utilities;
And Whereas periodically, residents are experiencing losses to electrical supply and telecommunications services as a result of planned outages or the inadvertent severing of existing plant as a result of new installations;
And Whereas project contact information and scheduling information is sometimes shared with residents on a voluntary basis by public utilities;
And Whereas jurisdiction for the regulation of public telecommunications utilities resides with the federal government and cannot be mandated by the Town of Tecumseh.
Now Therefore Be It Hereby Resolved:
That all Public Utilities working in the municipal right-of-way deliver project contact information to residents in advance of the undertaking of construction activities, and
That all Public Utilities deliver notice of a planned outage to service infrastructure at least seven business days prior to the planned outage, and
That all Public Utilities supply on-site utility markings when locates are requested through Ontario One Call for the municipal right-of-way in order to reduce the instances of unplanned outages, and
That all Public Utilities undertake a survey of private sprinkler installations prior to construction, and
That all Public Utilities advise residents of their landscaping restoration plan including timelines for reinstatement and contact information.