The City Commission approved a contract extension with Ohlimeter Inc. to continue performing water meter reading services for up to five years at an initial unit price of $0.715 per meter read (a 2.7% increase), with annual adjustments tied to consumer price index (CPI) and funds drawn from the water/sewer budget.

Staff said the city sends roughly 8,000 water and sewer invoices quarterly and that Ohlimeter reads about 32,000 meters per year. The vendor uses reading devices owned by the city, and data are uploaded to city billing software. Staff told commissioners that providers of manual meter‑reading services are limited in the current marketplace as some municipalities have shifted to smart‑meter systems, making some vendors exit the sector.

City staff said they continue to evaluate costs and benefits of smart‑meter conversions; if a smart‑meter rollout occurs, some meter‑reading services would still be needed during a transition. Ohlimeter has provided more than 10 years of service to Kentwood, staff said, and the commission approved the extension under a special‑circumstances justification presented by staff.

The commission approved the extension by voice vote; staff estimated the annual cost impact of the initial increase at $600–$700.