CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — Who is in charge of the street lights on Vern Lane in Cheektowaga? It sounds like an Abbott and Costello bit, but rest assured, third base is not the punch line.
Mern Faulhaber contacted 2 On Your Side after the lights on Vern Lane in Cheektowaga have been broken since the December blizzard.
"I noticed while sitting in my living room, that it was awful dark outside, except for the brightness of the snow," Faulhaber said. "The entire black from William, all the way to Constance here was completely out and black."
Faulhaber didn't think much of it in the thick of the blizzard response, but a week later she reached out to the Town of Cheektowaga and asked about the street lights getting fixed.
"I called the highway department they told me that they don't own these lights that they're owned by NYSEG," Faulhaber said. "I called NYSEG and they took the message and said they pass it on to take care of this."
It was early January when Faulhaber first called.
She called back again in February.
Again in March.
Again in April.
"So that's four times, and it's 120 days we've been without power,' Faulhaber said. "I'm wondering if it's ever gonna get taken care of.
2 On Your Side reached out to NYSEG to learn more.
A spokesperson says there are apparently three issues at play. NYSEG claims that the lights were initially damaged when a third-party contractor damaged the electrical wiring while digging nearby. Additionally, wires were damaged as a result of a motor vehicle accident near William St.
NYSEG says that there is pole damage and since they don't own the poles, they are waiting for the Town of Cheektowaga to repair them.
2 On Your Side followed up with NYSEG to clarify that the town owns the poles and the utility company insists that the down does.
WGRZ reached out to the Town of Cheektowaga Supervisor to learn more but did not get a response.