Michael W. Poor excavating company blindsided by South Woodford Water District
WOODFORD COUNTY, Ky. (WTVQ) – A complete blindside is how Wade Poor describes the moment he was told his company would no longer be responsible for the care and maintenance of the South Woodford Water District.
A job his family has been doing for the past 3 decades.
“It’s not good and it’s not right,” said Wade Poor, Owner of Michael W. Poor Excavating Company.
Poor says his dad first got the job in 1992, but after he was diagnosed with cancer, he enlisted the help of his sons who were just teenagers at the time.
“I actually graduated early. They let me leave class and do half days to go keep South Woodford Water customers and maintain the district. Shortly right after I graduated, I was 18 right as he passed away and we’ve maintained it ever since then” added Poor.
On January 10th, Poor says he was told a new company, Gatewood Water Service in Frankfort would be taking over just a few days later.
Poor says the news came as a shock, being given only 3 business days’ notice.
The news also came just 1 week before the birth of his own son, who he was hoping to show the ropes of the business to like his dad did with him.
“Really just a slap in the face to have been there 31 years and then give you 3 days’ notice to get out, you need to have everything packed and out for the new crew to come in,” said, Poor.
He says he was told it was because the company was cheaper.
He says the job was never bid out and that there was no notice to the public except for a Facebook post on January 16th.
The change in companies frustrated many customers who spoke out on social media with comments like “This is stupidity at its best” and “Look how many issues since you dumped Wade and family!”
Poor says since the change there have been many water-related issues, including the loss of 250,000 gallons of water from the Cummins Ferry water tank over the weekend.
He also says there are water lines with asbestos that he’s been telling the District for 10 years to replace. Poor says the District is trying to get a $250,000 grant but says they plan to use the money to rebuild a pump station that his father replaced in 1997.
Poor believes the pressure he’s put on the District could also be a factor in the board’s decision to let him go.
He says it’s frustrating to no longer be able to help his community, especially while some of them are struggling.
“It stinks not knowing not being able to do anything about it you got friends and neighbors out of the water and you know where the valves are out and where the leaks are at and where the things are to cut it off but you can’t do anything about it because they’ve got a new cheaper crew but yeah, it’s not good” added Poor.
ABC 36 reached out to the South Woodford Water District. We were given the following statement.
“There was no written contract between South Woodford Water District and Wade Poor. The board of directors made a decision to use a different service provider. We have no further comment.”
