All homes, businesses in VBT to get new water meters

All homes and businesses in Van Buren Township will get new water meters at an estimated total cost of $2.4-$2.8 million because the township’s present system is being phased out by the vendor. At its Sept. 15 Zoom meeting, the VBT Board of Trustee approved going out for proposals on the project.
Water and Sewer Director James Taylor, who called it the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) program, explained the situation.
Director Taylor said the existing system and meters are technologically outdated, a “closed architectural system.”
He said there no longer is time for gradual replacement as they have been doing because the vendor is closing down. So far, the township has replaced about 1,000 units.
“We have funds in our account to pay for this and there will be no additional cost to users,” Taylor said.
ITRON, who created the present water meters and the system and is decommissioning it as of Dec. 31, 2020, has agreed to give VBT a basic level of service until the township’s replacement project is complete.
The project is recommended by the Water and Sewer Commission.
Trustee Kevin Martin asked how long it would be before the township has to replace the meters again.
Taylor said these new meters could be used with other systems. He said the system the township had was a specific meter for a specific system. He said the lifespan for a meter is usually 20-30 years.
Trustee Paul White asked if these meters will be inside or outside of people’s home.
Taylor said the meters have to be inside, so they don’t freeze, but the readers are outside. He said for this “open architecture” system a vendor will install them in six to eight months at about 10-14 a day.
“We will notify people ahead of time for accessibility to the house,” Taylor said.
He said about ten years ago the township replaced the meters wholesale and now they are outdated because they are tied to a specific technology.
In other business at the one-hour-and-22-minute Zoom meeting before 27 viewers, the board:
• Approved selection of REVIZE of 11 bidders for the new township website project at a cost of $19,650 for the initial redesign, with $4,700 annually for onward support. An optional five-year agreement which includes a locked-in rate and free website redesign after the fourth year was also approved. It is expected the new site will be up in from 17-23 weeks;
• Approved the application from Banotai Farms, 6981 Rawsonville Rd., for a parcel of 15 acres behind the greenhouse to be included in the Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program for ten years. This land preservation for farm use will give it tax exemptions. Dan Power, director of planning and economic development, said 10-15% of land in Wayne County takes part in this program. Banotai also did it in 2011, which was approved by the board;
• Discussed and then unanimously approved the Election Specialist job description and the personal services agreement with Election Clerk Brittany Beaudry to fill this position effective Jan. 1 with a new salary of $51,800, a $6,000 raise. Beaudry currently is election clerk and is in the union. With this job she will no longer be in the union. This new position was hotly discussed at length during the recent budget session. Supervisor Kevin McNamara said Clerk Leon Wright’s intention is to have Beaudry ready to go as deputy clerk after Deputy Clerk Joanne Montgomery’s retirement next year. Beaudry filled in for Montgomery when the deputy clerk was out for medical procedures last year. Supervisor McNamara said there was a freeze on raises and now he will be putting some into the budget. A visitor at the Zoom meeting, named “Public,” said he/she disagreed with the appointment, noting all departments are busy and need help. He/she said this gives the clerk’s department a new specialist and a new part-time clerk;
• Approved the reappointments of Walter Rochowiak and Eileen Parent to the Water and Sewer Commission with terms to expire June 1, 2022;
• Approved the 2021 township holiday schedule and the 2021 board of trustees meeting schedule;
• Approved Resolution 2020-16, the 2021 Department Fee Schedule, with a Water and Sewer schedule to be presented separately;
• Heard Clerk Wright announce ballots were received earlier that day and they got 500 per precinct, which is not enough. He said the ballots will be sent out Sept. 25 to all absentee voters who have requested them. Wright said, so far, the township had 8,690 absentee ballot requests;
• Heard Supervisor McNamara say two years ago it was announced the township got a new SMART bus and then it was announced this year VBT would get another bus and, “both came in last week.” He said they both have wheelchair lifts. He said four years ago the township had a “rust bucket” bus and now, “We have a nice little fleet”;
• Also heard McNamara announce the Haggerty Road resurfacing from Tyler to I-94 is on the roadwork list for Wayne County for 2021. He said they are still working on Haggerty between Van Born and Ecorse and Ashley Capital is involved;
• Heard Treasurer Sharry Budd report that the recent Red Cross blood drive at the township got 36 products with a goal of 30. This is the most ever collected here, she said, noting more than 100 helped with the project; and
• Heard Trustee Reggie Miller say she wanted to know if McNamara was furloughing employees in the township. McNamara said, “Not really” and they were working it out. “I do not want to furlough anyone.” He said he doesn’t want to talk about jobs publicly and by the next day a decision will be made. Trustee Miller said she doesn’t like to find out things by word of mouth. “We do not talk about personnel problems in public,” McNamara said. “The board can ask about anything that affects the budget, but not names – not hiring or termination,” said Trustee White, a former supervisor. “This is furlough and we should talk about it,” Miller persisted. McNamara said because of COVID, some departments are completely underutilized right now. Seniors cannot come back until March, April, or May, he said, and parks are closing and no recreation programs are going on. He said almost all governmental groups believe things won’t be back to normal until next June. “I will call each and every one of you after this meeting to talk about whatever you want to talk about,” McNamara said.