BROOKHAVEN — Lincoln County resident Pat McCullough gave an update to the board of supervisors on his personal dealings with Connexon. The company signed a contract with Magnolia Electric to add broadband cables on Magnolia Electric infrastructure but McCullough argues they failed to get proper right of way. 

As a result, McCullough requested the county obtain an attorney general’s opinion on the legality of what Connexon was doing back in October. He said the company was pulling a farce on other people, essentially telling them they had the right of way when they in fact did not. McCullough was advised to send the question regarding the constitutionality of right of way to the AG’s office for an opinion back in October.

Greg Malta, Lincoln County Board Attorney, said his concern with the county’s involvement was their request for AG opinions that are usually dealing with how a county should enforce or interpret a law. 

“I’ve never had a situation to ask about the constitutionality of a law broadly,” Malta said. “I have heard you were satisfied with Connexon. I thought you were happy and did not pursue things further.”

McCullough told the board they were supposed to be watchdogs for their constituents. He happens to be a resident of District 3 and alleged the company tried to put pressure on him and forged a document. The two representatives of Connexon he met were “trying to create a criminal problem,” and produced two sections of a contract that weren’t signed.

During the meeting, McCullough told the men what they were doing was “criminal fraud.” The men disappeared and returned on October 24, 2024 with three teams of construction workers and requested an escort from the Sheriff’s Office. 

McCullough said Lincoln County Sheriff Steve Rushing called him to let him know what was happening. 

“They requested a deputy and I said send two, one to haul and one to arrest,” McCullough said. “They had about 30 people and I told them to do a body count. I explained to them that everyone was going to the drunk tank if they set foot on my property. Mr. Woods said ‘arrest me,’ I said the whole gang will be arrested so you have company.”

They asked McCullough what it will take to get the right of way, he said. One of the men suggested $500. 

“I said I have $500 but what you don’t have is a right of way,” McCullough said. “I reiterated what I had four or five days earlier. He asked if we could negotiate. I told him they were locked out in two different directions.”

The company had tried to circumvent McCullough and tried to bore under the road but John David Hart, District 3 Supervisor, shut them down. McCullough owns the road and the County has a right of way only through prescriptive historical use. 

He told the men if they stepped foot on his property they would go to jail. The men from Connexon asked again about what it would take to get a right of way. 

“I do a lot of fencing and pipe so I asked for three- 5,000 foot spools of 3/8ths or 5/16ths inch nine-strand cordless individually galvanized steel cord,” McCullough said. “They said they only had two rolls and three pieces. I said that ain’t enough. I gave them till 4 p.m. if they wanted to climb those poles.”

Connexon was able to come up with what McCullough wanted and now has the right of way. McCullough said the cable was worth about $22,000. 

“Do you think they would have done this if they thought it was right. They settled for me,” McCullough said. “This affects a lot of people in the county. You represent these people. The contract points out that they don’t have the right of way, they need to source their own. We have a farce going on.”

Prior problems

Supervisors have had previous issues with Connexon trying to bore utility lines in the county without obtaining a permit. Lincoln County recently passed a fee for utility boring permits.

One current issue with the company is impacting District 4 Supervisor Eli Ferguson. Randy Emfinger, representing Dungan Engineering, said the company had talked with them about permits to bore. They set up a time to meet last week and had a no call, no show. 

“I got back in contact with them. They contacted me and apologized to me. They didn’t talk to Eli,” Emfinger said. “They sound like they are in urgent need but it appears they are not. They are not doing anything until they do meet with Eli.”