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Monett staff outline $2M AMI meter replacement; council told total program cost could reach $3.3M
Summary
City staff presented a bid package for advanced metering infrastructure covering electric and water meters and software; the capital cost was shown near $2 million with roughly $500,000 in additional setup and recurring fees, and staff said they will bring a draft contract for ordinance approval with legal review.
City staff presented a bid and cost summary for an advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) project that would replace electric and water meters and install server, GIS and remote-reading capabilities.
Staff described the bid package to council as covering backend server software and networking, meter hardware, and installation. The package presented showed approximately $760,000 for server/software components, about $635,000 for electric meters, and additional line items for water meters and installation; staff summarized the initial capital portion at roughly $2,000,000 and noted ongoing setup and annual fees near $500,000 that would make total program costs nearer to $3,300,000 over the early years.
Council discussed warranty and reliability concerns, telling staff they had experienced poor performance from the previous meter vendor and that the proposed meters (Badger) were viewed as higher-quality by staff. Staff said some installation work would be done in-house to save costs while subcontracting portions requiring specialized crews. The council asked whether the contract must be completed before a first reading; city legal/staff advised that a draft or template can be attached to a first reading and amended before final approval.
Staff stated funding would come from reserves and budgeted items, and that legal review of the contract would be required before final passage. The council directed staff to prepare a draft ordinance/contract for first reading in July with the intent to complete approval in August so the city can begin ordering meters and installing AMI equipment.
No ordinance vote occurred at the meeting; staff said they would present a draft contract and recommended ordinance language for the council's first reading and subsequent consideration.
