Niles panel OKs legislation to request bids for water meter installation

May 4, 2017 at 12:06a.m.

NILES

For more than two years, about 6,500 technologically sophisticated water meters have sat untouched in their packaging in the vacant Waddell Park swimming pool because the city, still in fiscal emergency, has had neither money nor manpower to install them. That may finally be about to change.

City council approved an ordinance Wednesday night authorizing the city’s service director request for bids for installing residential meters. The legislation, which passed only first reading at council’s previous meeting, was adopted as an emergency.

The meters are designed to provide more accurate water usage readings that can be accessed by computer. The bidding process is expected to take at least several weeks.

The city’s water fund is still in deficit of nearly $600,000, which has contributed to the fiscal emergency that has been in effect since October 2014. The concern about that fund as well of those of the other utilities operated by the city is behind another council vote that passed unanimously Wednesday. Council is seeking proposals for “a comprehensive five-year projection study on light, water and sewer rates.” Since fiscal emergency was declared, the city has raised some of its utility rates to improve revenue.

The water department was more than $1.2 million in debt when the emergency was declared.

Meanwhile, city Law Director Terry Swauger told council that its updated “Drug Free Safety Policy” will make no exemptions for medical marijuana.

“Marijuana is still illegal under federal law and that means Niles city employees can’t use it,” Swauger said. The law director was responding to a question from council members whether an employee with a prescription for medical marijuana could institute a legal challenge.

“I’m concerned that we may have to make an accommodation for an employee,” said Ryan McNaughton, D-at large. Not so, Swauger. responded, adding, “It’s still illegal.”