Text Box: FIOS INSTALLATION CONCERNS SOME COUNCIL MEMBERS By Dave Chitwood Verizon’s installation of FIOS fiber optic service in Glen Echo brought a spirited debate at the Aug. 13 town council meeting, when the topic of boring, drilling, and trenching was discussed. Those present expressed concerns about whether lines connecting homes would be strung overhead or placed underground. In the latter case, the worry was about the conditions of property and streets afterwards. Mayor Beers had not been at the July Council Meeting when the FIOS installation issue was first discussed; she described her surprise when the Clerk-Treasurer informed her of the nature of some of the comments expressed at the meeting and of the restrictions that some had suggested to be placed upon Verizon. The mayor said that she strongly believes that if homeowners want the new service, then they should not have to wait while the town and Verizon go through a long procedural process. Councilmember Eve Arber responded that she and town residents attending the meeting merely wanted information about the installation process. For example, would a series of trenches be dug throughout the entire town? Councilmember Steve Matney added that his understanding was that although individual homeowners may prefer underground installation, Verizon would make the decision on overhead versus underground connectivity. He would like to ask Verizon several questions, for example, if three houses on one side of a street needed to be connected to a line on the other side, would one trench be dug or three? The mayor said that Verizon would probably choose the most efficient process and would not do anything differently here than in other parts if the county, such as Bannockburn. She added that she did not want to set up any roadblocks and that if Verizon promised to set things right, they should be allowed to proceed. She added that she would “go after them with all my might” if they reneged on their promise. Councilmember Robin Kogelnik suggested that perhaps “overregulation” might be a concern, and the mayor agreed that this was a good word. Ms. Kogelnik stated that it would be interesting to learn, however, if there was actually a master plan of some sort or whether the installation would be planned on a case-by-case basis. Mayor Beers said she had suggested that Verizon be allowed six months to effect street restoration, a period of time which would take into account the difficulty of repairs during the winter. In a letter quoted in the August Echo and by the Mayor, Verizon stated that property “would be restored to the same or better condition within six months of work completion.” Text Box: WELCOME NEWCOMERS! The town now has two more children to add to its generous contingent of youngsters. Julian, 5, and Isabella, 2, moved with their parents Frank and Kathleen Triveri to Wellesley Circle this summer. Julian will enter the first grade in Bannockburn Elementary School this month. Parents Frank and Kathleen are both lawyers, although these days Kathleen is mainly a Mom. When they met in the hallway of an apartment house in Woodley Park, where they had adjoining apartments, both had just started their first jobs. Frank now works for Sprint in Reston. An Alexandria, Va. native, he studied at George Mason University in Virginia. Kathleen is from the small town of Bellport, Long Island, N.Y. and is happy again to be living in a small town near the water, as in her childhood. She attended Williams College and received her law degree at Indiana University. She is a semi-professional musician, playing the violin in the Washington Metropolitan Philharmonic in Alexandria. Frank plays the electric guitar. Welcome to Glen Echo! Text Box: DIDN’T GET YOUR ECHO ON TIME? The scheduled delivery date for The Echo is the Sunday before the first Monday of each month. If you don’t get your copy by that date, please notify circulation manager Jane Stevenson at 301-229-3578. It is only by hearing from you that we know there is a circulation delay.