City Council Study Session Agenda Virtual Platform September 1, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. A. Call to Order • Pledge of Allegiance B. Study Agenda
1. Legislative Priorities – Presented by Troy Nichols of Phillips Burgess Government Relations, LLC 2. Water Meter AMI Project Update – Presented by Public Works Director Jay Harris
C. Adjourn
Shelton City Council Meeting Agenda September 1, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. Virtual Platform A. Call to Order • Pledge of Allegiance • Roll Call
• Late Changes to the Agenda
B. Consent Agenda (Action)
1. Voucher number 102832 in the total amount of $5,432.07
2. Vouchers numbered 102833 through 102882 in the total amount of $132,713.14 3. Vouchers numbered 102883 through 102910 in the total amount of $161,806.96
4. Payroll warrants numbered 3883 and 5630 through 5673 and 5674 through 5779. Warrants 102543 through 102562 and 102573 in the amount of $726,601.12
5. Payroll warrants numbered 3884 and 5780 through 5822 and 5823 through 5929. Warrants 102770 through 102790 in the amount of $740,139.57
C. Presentations
1. LEAN Process – Community Development Team (via video)
D. Business Agenda (Study/No Action/Public Comment Taken)
1. Resolution No. 1169-0820 FCS Group Rate Study Amendment No. 3 – Presented by PW Administrative Manager Brooke Kilts
E. Action Agenda (Action/Public Comment Taken)
1. Updating City Policies (200-1860 & 200-1870) – Presented by Administrative Services Director – Michelle Sutherland
2. Resolution No. 1168-0820 2020 Residential Paving – Presented by Public Works Director Jay Harris 3. Resolution No. 1167-0820 2020 Chip Seal – Presented by Public Works Director Jay Harris
4. Resolution No. 1166-0820 Purchase and Sale Agreement for Simpson Properties – Presented by City
Manager Jeff Niten
F. Administration Reports
1. City Manager Report
G. Announcement of Next Meeting – September 15, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. H. Adjourn
Special Note for Public Participation The meeting can be viewed at: masonwebtv.com The public can provide comments via email or telephone.
Email: [email protected] Telephone: (360) 432-5105
Shelton City Council Work Session
“2021 Legislative Session Outlook”
Troy Nichols
Phillips Burgess Government Relations September 1st, 2020
Today’s Agenda:
I.
2020 General Election Outlook
II.Operating Budget Dynamics
III.
Capital Budget Dynamics
IV.
Transportation Budget Dynamics
V.Questions?
2020 General Election Outlook:
Current Legislative Makeup:
Senate – 28 Democrats, 21 Republicans
Primary election projection – No net change in 2021
House – 57 Democrats, 41 Republicans
Primary election projection - + 2 Republicans; 55-43 split
2021 Legislative Leadership Outlook:
No change in the current majorities
Speaker Jinkins and Senate Majority Leader Billig expected to return
Key Committee Chairs/Ranking Members – largely unchanged
35
thLegislative Delegation Likely Returning:
Representatives Griffey and MacEwen lead by double digits, Senator Sheldon is
2021 Operating Budget Dynamics:
June 2020 Revenue Forecast
$8.8 BILLION reduction over the next three years ($4.5 billion in 2019-21,
$4.3 billion in 2021-23)
Special Session? Not until post November 4th…
Federal Relief? Economic Rebound?
State revenue collections were about $600 million higher than expected
in June and July…next Revenue Forecast is September 23rd
2021 Session Outlook
75% of the state budget is “constitutionally protected” (K-12 spending,
pensions, labor contracts, debt service) making a “cuts only” solution difficult, even with $3 billion in reserves.
2021 Capital Budget Dynamics:
2021-23 Capital Budget:
Tremendous Pressure to “sweep” the Capital Budget to
support the Operating Budget
Bond Capacity is expected to be similar to 201921
-$3.2 Billion
Local & Community Projects:
2019-21 Biennial Budget: $163 million for 298 projects
2021 Transportation Budget Dynamics:
2019-21 Transportation Budget = $10 Billion
I-976 – Car Tabs Initiative = $1.9 Billion reduction over the next six
years; 77% coming from the Multi-Modal Account
COVID-19 Impacts on the 2021-23 Transportation Budget
Statewide Transportation Package?
Senate Transportation Chair Steve Hobbs proposed a 10-year
transportation package last year:
$19 Billion in Revenue (23 new and increased taxes and fees,
including a new Carbon Fee)
$17 Billion in Expenditures – State, Tribal and Local Improvement
Projects, Highway Preservation, Fish Passage Barriers, Debt Service, etc.
House Transportation Chair Jake Fey expected to propose a competing
transportation package next session:
DISCUSSION – City of Shelton
Potential 2021 Legislative Budget
Priorities
Potential 2021 Legislative Budget Priorities
Policy Issues:
Diversity and inclusion initiatives (AWC)
State/local coordination for county jail space
Capital Budget Projects:
Well 1 Modernization
Ceramic plates for wastewater plant Reclaimed water tank
Transportation Budget Projects:
Western Gateway project
Wallace Kneeland/Shelton Springs Rd. intersection WSP Latecomer’s Agreement
WATER SYSTEM ADVANCED METERING
INFRASTRUCTURE (AMI) PROJECT
CITY COUNCIL STUDY SESSION PRESENTATION
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020
WHAT IS AMI?
The City’s Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project moves the City towards a modern water metering system that will allow the city and community better manage our water resources. The proposed
project will exchange the majority of the aging Sensus brass water meters with new Sensus Iperl meters that are connected to a Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system. AMI utilizes a low-powered communication transmitter that is connected to the new water meter to send water usage information over a encrypted/secure 900 MHz FCC licensed channel. The proposed system will allow the City to continue to perform manual meter reads and for allow drive by radio reads as transmitters are installed. Ultimately all meters readings will be acquired by the fixed base antenna system.
EXISTING SYSTEM
The water department currently maintains 3,867 Sensus brass water meters. The majority of the water meter are ¾-inch (3,334) and 1-inch (369) meters. The average age of the City water meters are in excess of 12-years. The American Waterworks Association recommends that water meters are replaced every 20 years as over time the accuracy declines significantly (lower usage
readings) due to wear of the moving parts.
Currently, water meters in the City are all opened and read once a month manually by the water division staff. The meters are read in multiple “routes” during the month. The meter readings are input into a 15+ year old data collector, then uploaded into an aging Windows PC (running
Windows Vista), and then downloaded by the Finance Department for billing purposes. The meter reading process takes about three weeks each month for 1 to 2 staff members. The meter re-reads (incorrect input), confirmation of zero reads (no consumption or meter is broken), and final readings for service transfers, takes additional field time each month.
CURRENT CHALLENGES
Existing meter reading equipment and software is 15-years old. Most brass meters are out of the Sensus 10-year warranty period.
Many meters are reaching their end of life and will need to be replaced in the near term.
Meter boxes can fill with dirt and rain water, increasing the time to read the meter.
As the number of customers increase in the City, the vehicle and employee costs also rise.
Inaccurate Readings and Delays:
• Turbine style water meters read lower as they age. The 2019 unaccounted for water loss was 8%, with prior years at 12+%, resulting in lost water and sewer revenue.
• State requires system loss to be 10% or less. • Data entry errors occur by the meter reader
Customer has limited use information, only once a month use readings.
Employee training/turnover. Field workers, customer service, and billing employees.
Meter locations:
• Field staff need to know the location of 3,864 meters.
• Some meters are located in high traffic areas, fenced yards, etc.
5 St ep 1 In iti at e Re ad in gs - Utility Billing provides list of 3,687 meters divided into 8 routes to the Meter Readers St ep 2 R ea d M et
ers - Readers drive/walk to each meter, lift
lid, get reading - Reading is entered into handheld device St ep 3 C om pi le D at a- Meter Readers return handheld device to Utility Billing for download of data
- Utility Billing processes data, creating a new list of unusual/high reads St ep 4 R e-Re ad s - List of, on average 100 unusual/high reads, “Re-reads”, is provided to Meter Readers - Meter readers drive to each meter to check if the reading is accurate St ep 4 B
illing -and Re-reads Original Data are processed and customer bills are created
Current Meter Reading Process
1 Utility Billing Analyst, 2 Meter Readers, 2 Customer Service Representatives.
6 St ep 1 In iti at e Re ad in gs- AMI System automatically transmits water use information to database. City Finance Department uploads data in the Tyler billing system. - Billing period is the
same number of days each month.
St
ep
2
B
illing - Utility bills are printed and mailed
With AMI Process
Through the month the software recognizes zero water use (meter broken) and unusual high water consumption, giving the customer/city the opportunity to resolve the issues on a weekly rather than monthly basis.
PROPOSED SYSTEM
The proposal is to replace all of the City Sensus brass ¾-inch and 1-inch water meters with new Sensus Ipearl water meters. The Ipearl meter measures the water volume magnetically, is much more accurate that the brass meters, and has no moving parts that wear out and require service. The remaining larger brass water meters are proposed to remain in place, but a new electronic register will be installed on each meter. All of the existing and proposed meters will also have a radio transmitter (MXU) and a disk antenna installed on the top of the water meter lids. A fixed base radio read antennae is proposed to be installed at one of the City well sites that will can read all of the meters at the same time at pre-defined intervals, or any meter individually at any time, and transmit the back data to the City Finance Department.
Dual Channel Transmitter Sensus Iperl Water Meter
Typical Meter & Transmitter Installation Fixed Base Antenna
BENEFITS OF THE WATER AMI UPGRADE
Customers & City have 24/7 access to stored water usage information.• Can communicate online with the meter for real-time reading.
• Stored consumption history enables to manage their water use to reduce water/sewer billings.
Reduction of water loss.
• Software detects water leaks on the homeowner's side of the meter so they can be repaired quickly.
• Usage alerts can be setup to automatically sent to the homeowner when continuous water flow is identified to prevent property damage resulting from undetected leaks.
• Reduces City unaccounted for water loss to remain in compliance with State regulations.
The new meters are highly accurate and have a 20-year warranty on parts/accuracy.
Account transfer and shutoff readings are real time and do not require workers to travel to the meter.
Sensus Ally meters could be installed at locations with high shutoff activity. Billing staff can turn off or reduce the water flow from Ally meter without field staff traveling to site to lock/unlock meters.
Decreases the instances of any unknown personnel trespassing on customers property.
Effectively lowers meter reading costs to the City by decreasing the expenses associated with meter readers including transportation costs. Lowers the risk of injury to City field employees.
AMI allows the City to receive real time system pressure and temperature information. The system leak
detection feature will detect mainline leaks previously missed by the current metering system, and report on meter backflows, broken pipes, zero consumption, and meter register malfunctions.
The AMI system allows the City of Shelton Public Works to re-allocate the meter reading employee to perform other services. Customer service staff calls will decline as customers utilize online information.
The meter reading interval is one reading per hour, compared to once a month. Hourly reading history is transmitted up to six times per day to the City.
SYSTEM UPDATE PROJECT BUDGET
Meter Replacements:
Iperl Meters: (3,334) ¾” & (369) 1”= $562,000
Registers Replacements: 164 exist. 1.5” to 8” meters: (164) SRII ECR Registers= $12,000
Transmitters:
(3,537) 520M Single port MXU's= $577,000 (165) 520M Dual port MXU's= $37,000
Meter boxes/lids:
Replace (700) boxes/lids= $116,000
Materials subtotal= $1,304,000
Project Contingency:
Inflation & unknown costs= $100,000
Miscellaneous Costs:
Android Field Reading Application & Command Link= 860/unit x 2 units= $1,720
Tyler billing system integration= $2,500 Office and Field Worker Training= $2,500 Radio FCC Licensing= $500
Yearly software licensing fees= $3,500 Total Misc. Costs= $11,000
Meter, Antennae, and MXU Installation Costs: 1. By Contractor, 6-8 weeks to install:
Cost= $350,000 or,
2. By City staff, average 1,000 installs per year. Will take approximately 4 years to complete. Overtime and additional labor costs= $120,000
TOTAL ESTIMATED PROJECT COST= $1.5 to $1.7 Million
NEXT STEPS:
1. Complete the antenna signal propagation study to confirm number and location of antenna(s).
2. 2021 budget project funding/priority discussions.
3. Revise Engineering Design and Construction Manual Standard Details. 4. New or replacement meter installations conform to updated standard. 5. Update water meter reading equipment with field tablets and finance
software integration. Staff training on new procedures.
6. City begins meter/transmitter replacements in access challenged locations.
Completion Dates: September 2020 September 2020 September 2020 October 2020 November 2020 Nov.- Dec. 2020 10
