Now after hiring Siemens at a tune of $23 million, the City of Lake Worth is pulling out all of its water meters and will buy new ones. But there is a positive--we get to trade them in and sell them for scrap for the new ones getting pennies on the dollar!
However, the city does not tell you how many meters, how long they were in effect or why they are no longer reliable, how much money we will get from the trade-ins and what all the new ones will cost.
The city continues to place items such as this on Consent Agenda with zero explanation of cost details to the public...you know, the guys who pay the bills who the commission believes has no need to know. Come to the meeting on Tuesday night and find out absolutely nothing about it.
5 comments:
Tell me AGAIN how the Mayor & Citizens have 'trouble' paying their utility bills "ONLINE" but this 'ONLINE" software will be different?
Are they battery run, how long do they last and what is the cost to replace them?
Welcome to the Agenda for the 21st Century where our 'Elected Servants'
are taking every step possible to become our masters
and control our behavior - probably ties into the
LOC Trip and the "HUMAN MANAGEMENT" topic covered!
Oh my goodness, didn't you all listen when these guys came in and put on a pretty presentation proving that spending this $32 million is going to SAVE US MONEY??? And just to think--I hear they also have a bridge to sell, real cheap and it will save us money too. Whatever would we do without this majority commission and bowtie??
Lynn,
At a minimum with the decision to replace the existing water meters I would expect that they would insure compatibility with the smart meters to be installed for the electric system. If they want to waste the money they should be compatible so they can utilize the same functionality. They can eliminate the need for meter workers all together if they purchase meters that can be remotely connected and disconnected from the office. Also who are they contracting with for the MDM (meter data management) and at what cost? Herein is the white elephant of this boondoggle. Good luck.
I'm going to make a prediction here. Within 5-10 years we will be replacing these meters or the new electric meters that are part of this Siemens project. There is little to no thought of the future when the City contracts these projects, no consultation with people who have technical expertise (apart from Siemens who are selling it to us), no research, etc. We will quickly find out that these new fangled meters don't work, don't provide the savings promised and we will be on to the next money waster project within a few years. Mark my words.
Do we know if these smart meters will have a visible reading anywhere so home owners can verify if we are being ripped off? I really hope we aren't just expected to take the city's word for it. During Frances and Jean I had one of my highest bills: $450 for electricity--AND I HAD NO ELECTRICITY--NADA. Only one way that happens.
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