Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By CHARITY SMITH
Wakefield — The city of Wakefield plans to replace the master water meter that supplies the Gogebic Range Water Authority after learning that it is failing to calibrate correctly.
The city is the primary water source for the GRWA, which supplies at least 57 million gallons of water annually. The city uses a water meter that is similar to the ones residents have in their homes, according to mayor Dale White. White said that when it was inspected by city staff in October, it was discovered that it is not operating as designed.
“After further research, the master meter has not been calibrated for nearly a decade and has outlived its useful life,” said White. “Considering the volume of water, we don’t want to lose any revenue for a bad read due to the fact that it hasn’t been calibrated. With its age and the risk of losing significant income, the recommendation was that it needs to be replaced.”
The new meter will cost the city $14,897. The funding will come out of the city’s capital improvement fund, along with a tap-in fee.
According to city manager Robert Brown, the lead time for the new meter is two to three months out. He said that they will be putting a budget amendment together to be able to transfer the $11,000 the city has in its capital improvement fund into the Gogebic Range tap-in fees, so that the meter can be paid for with one transaction.
The city council unanimously approved the quote from ETNA of Grand Rapids, the city’s water meter distributor, for the new meter.
The council also approved a budget request by the electric department for a digital phasing tester. The request was initially brought before the council on Dec. 28, but the council postponed approval to gain further insight as to the need for the item and some price differences in the quotes presented. The council’s equipment team met with the electric department lead man last week and they found the $2,535 difference between the quote was a vendor fee.
According to Brown, the digital phasing tester would allow staff to identify the presence of voltage, make voltage measurements and provide a means of phase comparison at the point of paralleling two circuits without the interposition of voltage transformers or secondary wiring circuits.
“Electrical lineman are not always able to work in the most favorable condition. Therefore, careful planning, adequate safety procedures and safety equipment are essential to prevent deadly contact with active lines. The requested phasing equipment will increase staff’s ability to work around high voltage safety,” said Brown.
The phasing tester will cost $3,485.
The council also discussed options for the possible closure of the municipal building and/or staff rotations to prevent the spread of COVID.
