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Bettsville council approves down payment and financing plan for Neptune water-meter replacement
Summary
Council approved moving forward on a Neptune water-meter replacement project with a $100,000 down payment split between water and sewer accounts and authorized staff to pursue tax-exempt leasing for the balance.
The Village of Bettsville authorized staff to proceed with a Neptune water-meter replacement project and approved appropriations to fund a $100,000 down payment.
Public works presented a quote for Neptune meters — equipment and installation estimated at about $178,800 — and described system benefits such as 96-day usage history, hourly reads for leak detection, and a $2,255 annual software subscription. The presenter said Neptune units are made in the U.S. and that replacement parts are less expensive than the full-meter replacements used previously.
Financing plan: Council discussed using $25,000 previously set aside plus interest earnings to bring the down payment to $100,000 and financing the remainder through a tax-exempt leasing corporation. The vendor and leasing company provided estimates; the chair noted an example annual payment for a financed balance would be roughly $14,787.38 for a seven-year term at an identified rate (meeting discussion cited 6.8% as the estimate). The council moved to allow staff to proceed with contract discussions and to authorize the financing approach.
Appropriations vote: Council approved appropriations splitting a $100,000 down payment between the Water Operating Fund ($50,000) and the Sewer Operating Fund ($50,000). The appropriation motion passed by voice vote.
Why it matters: The council said the new meters will improve billing accuracy, reduce safety risks by allowing remote reads and reduce the need for physical meter access. Council members emphasized using interest income and designated reserves to avoid touching the regular operating budget.
Quote: "It will show a bar graph ... it'll throw up an alarm and show you meters that are running continuously," the presenter said when describing the Neptune system.
Next steps: Staff will finalize vendor and leasing paperwork, complete the down-payment appropriations, and schedule installation once contracts and financing are in place. Billing and customer-notification procedures will be coordinated to minimize disruption during meter swaps.
