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Mount Vernon council approves first reading of radio‑read water meter ordinance; resident raises safety, opt‑out concerns
Summary
The council approved first reading of Ordinance #7-7-2025A to require replacement with radio‑read water meters and impose a $50 noncompliance fee; resident Sonja Cooklin raised safety concerns and asked for an opt‑out or reduced manual‑read frequency.
The Mount Vernon City Council on July 7 approved the first reading of an ordinance requiring replacement of existing water meters with radio‑read meters and imposing a $50 noncompliance fee for residents who have not replaced old meters.
City officials said the $50 fee is intended to cover the added staff time required to manually read and enter meter data for properties that have not converted to radio‑read meters. Resident Sonja Cooklin spoke during the public hearing, saying she was concerned about the safety of the new meters and asking that residents be allowed to opt out and, if necessary, pay a smaller monthly fee to keep their existing meters. Cooklin also asked whether old meters could be read less frequently to reduce staff time and avoid the proposed fee.
After the hearing closed, councilmembers voted to approve the ordinance on first reading. The ordinance will return for subsequent readings where council could amend language or address opt‑out or frequency questions raised at the hearing. The minutes do not record a staff estimate of how many properties remain to be converted or the precise per‑customer dollar impact beyond the $50 noncompliance fee.
