The City of Newton is going to put some of its American Rescue Plan Act funding to good use to purchase new water meters for every customer.
Gary Turner, public works director for the city, said the cost will be $284,935 from a sole-source provider to replace more than 1,400 meters in the city. All of the new meters will have wireless internet capabilities.
“It’s going to cut down on the amount of manpower it will take to read meters each month,” Turner said. “It will allow a city worker to drive down the street and collect meter readings with a wireless connection. Instead of it taking a week to read meters, we could probably do it in an afternoon.”
In addition to the wireless meter reading capability, the city will also get 50 meters that will have wireless shutoff capabilities. Turner said it was impossible for the city to get those for every customer at this time, as it would nearly double the cost for each meter.
“The proposal includes 50 meters with the shutoff capability,” Turner said. “Those meters will be installed at select places around the city. These are usually those who we have to cut off every month. Instead of us having to go up to the meter and cut off the water, we will be able to do it wirelessly.”
In addition to the new meters, the board approved raising sewer taps to $375. City Clerk Charlene Evans said the taps were increased to $375 for water taps, but they neglected to increase sewer taps. Typically, the costs for water and sewers are equal.
In other action, Alderman Dan Moncrief proposed the city putting a pay raise freeze on the city until around March 2022, when the city usually starts receiving its property tax collections. He proposed the idea because it would not put any additional strain on the city’s finances.
Board attorney Brian Mayo said the board has the ability to freeze pay across the board at any time. The measure passed unanimously.
In other business, the city:
• approved registration and travel for Mayo to attend the Mississippi Municipal Attorney’s Association meetings on Jan. 12.
• Closed city hall at noon on Wednesday, Dec. 22, all day on Dec. 23 and 24 for Christmas and all day on Dec. 30 and 31 for New Year’s.
• Approved an eighth-page ad in the Newton County Appeal’s Christmas section with Letters to Santa.
• Approved advertising a sewer project, which will be paid for with grant funding.
• Approved BBI’s annual software and hardware agreements for the year 2022 in the amounts of $8,685 and $14,188.67.
• Approved a contract with Custom Paving and a 1-year warranty for the Old Hwy. 15 Loop project.
• Accepted the retirement of Tommy Steele effective Nov. 24.
• Hired Ben Langston and Damion Blackmon as part-time certified officers at $12.88 per hour and Rodney Davis as a full-time certified officer at the rate of $14 per hour.
• Allowed Assistant Chief Johnny Martin to attend the DARE program training Jan. 24-Feb. 3, 2022 at a cost of $1,500.
• Terminated Tamaya Holified as a police officer.
• Accepted the donation of a 2016 Ford Explorer from the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department and approved repair costs of $3,500 to install a new engine. Police Chief Randy Patrick said it was worth the investment to repair the SUV.
• Purchase mobile radios for four police cars and the installation cost at a total of $7,480 using ARP funds.
• Purchased refurbished Tasers at a cost of $8,906.67.
• Accepted seized funds in the amount of $3,514.74 for the city and will transfer $1,047 to the district attorney’s office. The city’s portion will be used to pay for the new engine.
• Approved a $75,801.58 payment to Traxler Construction for the airport hangar project. The funds are reimbursable.
• Paid Neel-Shaffer $6,989.88 and $337.50 for the hangar design at the airport.
• Paid claims totaling $188,315.26.
