City staff described an AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) project under consideration and said initial modeling shows the city would still need a meter technician for field tasks even after remote reads are available. “We would always need a, meter tech,” a staff member said, adding that the position’s time in the truck reading meters would be reduced but the employee would remain busy with customer interactions, connects, disconnects and spot checks.

Staff identified $50,000 in the utilities line as a placeholder for meters or meter-related work in the proposed budget and said the actual cost could be lower if the AMI product is procured. “If we do, then that $50,000 could be allocated to something else,” a staff member said, but added maintenance funds would still be required for damaged meters and routine replacement.

Council members asked whether the meter reader position would be eliminated. Staff replied the role would shift from daily driving to more varied customer-service and technical duties and that the city has historically maintained a full-time meter position even after prior meter upgrades. The council did not vote on the AMI procurement; staff said a Schneider Electric project had been established earlier in the week and that the item will return for further study and budgeting steps.

No permanent staffing reductions or layoffs were proposed at the session; staff emphasized the change would be a redefinition of duties rather than an outright elimination.