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Residents press Lowell council for better water‑use data and raise questions about police staffing and EV charging revenue
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Summary
At Lowell's council meeting residents urged better public access to smart water‑meter data and requested more police staffing; council members and residents also pressed staff for records and contracts after an EV charging station was installed on city property without clear revenue to the city.
Residents used the public‑comment period to raise utility transparency and public‑safety concerns, and later in the meeting council members questioned how an electric vehicle charging station was installed at Harold Rankin Park without apparent revenue to the city.
Steven Arteaga, a Lowell resident, said the city's smart water meters appeared to allow near‑real‑time reads but residents receive only monthly bills. "People have no idea how much water they're using, and then they get this bill at the end of the month," he said, urging the city to provide accessible usage data so customers can spot spikes or leaks earlier. City staff and the mayor advised residents to call the water department and speak with Pam, who handles water issues, and noted the city monitors usage and can notify customers when leaks are detected.
Candy Thunderbird, a resident and former council member, asked the council to consider funding two additional police officers and associated vehicles, estimating the cost as a modest tax-rate increase and stressing public‑safety concerns as new housing is built.
Later in the meeting the mayor and other council members questioned who authorized the EV charging station at Harold Rankin Park and why the city appears to receive no revenue. The mayor asked for meeting minutes and documentation explaining how the installation was approved, calling the lack of revenue "ludicrous" if a private company is making money on city property. The city attorney and staff said installation would have required property‑owner permission and likely a prior council decision or contract; council members asked staff to locate the record and report back.
What happens next: Staff will be asked to provide documentation and meeting minutes about the charging station installation and to follow up on resident requests for water‑usage support; council also has a budget meeting scheduled Friday where staffing and funding priorities may be discussed.
