Following the discovery last month that water and electric meters within the business district and the northwest residential section of the City of Wessington Springs were not read by a former city employee for a number of years resulting in incorrect utility bills for some customers, the city council continued to discuss the issue at the April 3 meeting.
Just before arriving at the item labeled “meter issue” on the agenda, the council went into executive session for personnel. After approximately 45 minutes, the council reconvened into regular session.
“There have been some tough conversations,” said Councilman Layton Schimke, pointing to the discussions he, other council members, and the mayor have had with utility customers who were undercharged and now owe the city in arrears.
“I’ve had a few stopping me on the street asking what’s going on,” said Brian Bergeleen, Mayor for the City of Wessington Springs.
It was originally reported in the True Dakotan that about a third of the 194 accounts in the former employee’s section were affected, however that number has been fluid since the issue was identified.
“I’ve talked to maybe three that said they won’t pay it,” said Councilman Tim Schooler. “The common theme in those conversations were: how did you come up with the numbers, prove it to me. There’s been a loss of confidence in the billing and we need to get an independent audit on this. It will take pressure off the office and if the numbers are good, they are good.”
“We knew we’d have that distrust,” Council Member Natasha Waters said. “I think an independent audit will provide that peace of mind.”
Discussion was held among the council members about the scope of work, audit timeline and breadth of the audit.
“I think we should get a quote on what it would take to do the whole thing,” said Council Member Kari Fagerhaug, indicating that the entire city’s utility system billing be audited.
With close to 1400 meters in the whole town the council decided to first have an independent CPA firm study the affected water and electric meters of the households and businesses affected. Schooler and Fagerhaug will work on soliciting bids from different firms which will be discussed at the next regular city council meeting in May. Look to upcoming editions of the True Dakotan for further meeting details.
“All of the accounts in arrears will be put on hold until we get the audit,” Bergeleen told the True Dakotan in an interview. “We felt that with the lack of confidence and trust we’ve heard from the community, we should get an outside independent audit done we can all look at.”
Bergeleen said that he and council members have reached out to all known affected customers and asks them for their continued patience with the issue until the results of the audit are reviewed.
“The council is working hard to fix this thing, knowing that no matter what we do, someone is going to be upset. We are trying our best to do what’s right,” said Bergeleen. “When this is all done and behind us, Wessington Springs will be better for it.”
Automatic meter reader project underway despite years of setbacks The city is currently making the transition from the antiquated, manual process of reading meters to an Advanced Metering System for electric and water utilities. The system will enable the city to automate meter reading, reduce the plausibility of human error and streamline customer billing.
According to City Water Superintendent Jim Vavra, the automatic meter reading project has been a long time in the making.
“In 2014, we started getting things together to go after a meter project to do automatic meter reading,” said Vavra. “We were really close to doing it and then the tornado wiped our plans out.”
The council returned to the conversation in 2019 when Kathy Voorhees was Mayor and began researching different companies to include in the bidding process for the project.
Enter 2020, and the response and navigation through the Covid-19 pandemic sidelined the discussion.
According to city minutes, a discussion was held at the February 7, 2022 meeting, with a motion made by Layton Schimke and seconded by Ryan Knipfer to authorize City Electrical Superintendent Phil LaBore to let bids for an automatic reader system for the electric and water meters.
At the Monday, May 2, 2022 meeting, the bid was awarded to Wesco of Sioux City, IA in the amount of $82,550.00 Vavra explained that the Wesco contract for the advanced metering system’s infrastructure includes three “gatekeepers” that will be installed in various areas of town and allow the meters to communicate to the city office. The entire conversion to an automatic meter reading system, which includes meters purchased from another vendor, totals approximately $330,000 and has been part of the city budget within the water and electric funds.
On the electrical side, LaBore has installed 400 of the 620 electrical meters needed for the whole town but the gatekeepers, delayed for seven months due to supply chain issues, should be available in July.
“Water is a different ball game,” said Vavra. “The new water meters and readers are on order and are delayed. A piece you put in the plumbing where it enters into the house was ordered last June and just showed up.”
As soon as the gatekeepers arrive and are installed, the city can go online with electric being read automatically. Depending on when the water meters and readers arrive will determine when automatic water meter reading will be possible.