WEDNESDAY, October 14, 2026|
Photo – Rawlins City Hall – Bigfoot99 file photo
Rawlins’ residents are still dealing with issues tied to fiber‑optic installation work across the city.
During the August 18th Rawlins City Council meeting, Councilman Terry Patterson announced that he had received complaints that contractors working for Visionary Communications and All West Wyoming have been installing fiber‑optic cables outside the limits of the city’s franchise agreement. Instead of digging in the designated rights‑of‑way, Councilman Patterson said the contractors were encroaching on private property. At the time, City Manager Matt Hall urged residents to call the Rawlins Police Department if a contractor enters their property without permission.
Residents are apparently still having issues with the contractors. Speaking during the citizen’s participation portion of the October 6th Rawlins City Council meeting, Highland Hills resident Patty Benson explained that a crew working for one of the internet providers removed a section of sidewalk in front of her home and covered it with a piece of plywood. She said children play in the area and noted that she’s worried the sidewalk won’t be replaced before winter.
Benson added that the contractors damaged underground utilities on her neighbor’s property. She said she wasn’t sure which internet provider caused the damage and asked if the city could fix it before someone gets hurt.
Benson said she notified Community Development Director Lou Lascano about the issue, which led the contractor to install an orange safety fence around the removed section of sidewalk. However, she said someone could still fall into the hole.
Benson asked if, in the meantime, she should pay to repair the sidewalk and then pursue the internet provider that caused the damage for repayment. Mayor Jacquelin Wells noted that, per city policy, council members do not typically comment on remarks made during the citizen’s participation portion of the meeting, but she assured Benson that someone from the city would contact her about the matter.
