Hurley to use ARPA funds for water meters

By TOM LAVENTURE

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Hurley — The Hurley City Council on Tuesday authorized the department of public works to transition the city from automatic meter reading systems to the advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) system.

The city council approved a finance committee recommendation of $246,967 to Dakota Supply Group for the AMI meters and another $70,560 to HydroCorp for installation, based on information from finance committee chair Joanne Bruneau at the meeting. The project will be funded from $150,000 in local fiscal recovery funds through the American Rescue Plan Act, as the city seeks additional funds through a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources grant.

The department of public works has completed a first grant application to fund the AMI program, according to Gary Laguna, city water manager at a previous meeting. A second grant application is due at the end of September. 

According to an AMI meter presentation in July, the city has approximately 860 water meters for residential and business use, with a mix of mechanical and solid state reading systems that will switch from a manual to the AMI smart network water meter reading system.

The AMI meters have a longer lifespan than current meters, according to the report from Dakota Supply Group. The technology uses transducers that wirelessly transmit hourly flow and temperature readings for improved accuracy and real time alarms for leaks, reverse flows and tampering.

The data is stored in a cloud system for electronic billing to reduce administrative work. Estimated billing will be eliminated as real time readings provide instant invoicing for move-in and move-out customers.

Residents can log onto a website or use an app to follow water use and receive alerts for abnormal readings that signal open faucets, stuck toilets or leaks. Other benefits to the water department include recommended adjustments for pipes that present freezing issues during low flow times.

The board approved a finance committee recommendation to move the part time administrative assistant position in the city office to full time. Bruneau said the recommendation followed discussion to ensure the additional wages were justified by the clerk.

The board approved a finance committee recommendation to authorize the public works department to submit a $4,000 grant application to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation to conduct an environmental study. The study will be conducted by MSA Professional Services Inc. and will supplement future project proposals to improve Range View Drive.

Bruneau said a letter should be sent to the Eagle Bluff Golf Course Board of Directors to remind them a financial report is due to the city. Bruneau wanted the reminder sent before the nonprofit golf course that leases the city-owned property closes for the season.

Board member Steven Lombardo said the golf course board has an annual meeting in October. If the report has not been submitted by that time, the board can address the matter at the meeting.

The council took no action on a request from a city resident who was on the meeting agenda in regards to city responsibility for a sewer line issue. The sewer lines of the Maple Street home and neighboring four-unit apartment building are linked together rather than directly to the city main.

The resident, Mike McGrath, attended the public works committee meeting, where he said the city should be responsible for costs to hook the line up to the main. The non-conforming sewer work was constructed when the two properties were under one owner and should have been addressed when the city put in new sewer mains in 2007, he said.

The owner said he was aware of situations where the city performed the same work for other homeowners who were not charged for the construction. He said that legal steps were his next course of action.

Council member Thomas Conhartoski said the circumstances that led to the situation McGrath finds himself in are unfortunate. The city council steps must follow the city ordinance which states the city cannot do the work on private property, he said. 

The city council went into executive session to discuss the police union contract. There was no action taken upon returning to the open session.

In other business, the city council approved:

—A $200 donation to the nonprofit Northern Iron County Engaged Residents (NICER) in support of the Spooky Halloween Trail Walk at the Hurley School Adventure Trails on Oct. 23 at time to be determined. 

—The city police department to order a new police vehicle in the coming year at an estimated cost of $60,000.

—$138,850.80 in monthly bills. 

—Two bartender licenses.

—A recommendation from Police, Fire and License committee to amend ordinance to no longer allow Vietnamese potbellied pigs to be raised within city limits

—A recommendation from the Police, Fire and License committee to not amend ordinance language to allow chickens to be raised within city limits.