New Fillmore water meters running

FILLMORE — Culminating a need that was determined in 2020, Fillmore residents now have new meters measuring their water consumption.

Clerk Works’ Monica Bray, who is continuing to assist the town with its finances, announced at the Fillmore Town Council’s regular meeting Thursday that all of the said meters were installed.

Bray emphasized that the new system will measure consumption by the gallon, rather than thousands. It will feature mobile data collection compatible with IOS and Android devices, and the meters can be “interrogated” to tell gallons per hour.

“It’s gonna lead to a lot more accountability, which I think is very necessary,” Bray said, adding that having the data will help people detect small leaks in their homes. “I think this is gonna be able to help bring it all together.”

Bray detailed that she created a folder containing the standing reads of the previous meters, which she said provided a good starting point for setting up the new ones and billing consumption.

Already, Bray said that at least three leaks had been determined. She and the town are thus encouraging residents to check in about their bills.

“We’re hoping this will be helpful to be cost-effective and take care of the customers,” Bray said in acknowledging Fillmore’s water rates being high. “We’re just trying everything we can to save wherever we can.”

In other business:

• Council President Meredith Trusty related that two wastewater pumps and a panel on Westwood Road were replaced recently. In general, he said sludge buildup in pumps has been a consistent issue.

As such, he said water samples were taken and received back earlier in the day. Bray provided the town was awaiting an opinion on what the samples mean.

“We’ve had this sludge developing in the system and we’re trying to figure out where it’s coming from, what’s causing it,” Trusty said to that. “That’s why we sent in these samples.”

• Bray announced that a financial audit by the State Board of Accounts would be wrapping up. The state conducts such on municipalities and school districts every four years.

Relating it to the audit, Bray said that because the town is not required to pay the state’s 1.46-percent utility receipts tax, it must reduce its water rates by at least one percent in some capacity. This is per new legislation from earlier this year.

“What we’re trying to do, is make that one percent either a credit, or just go ahead and change the rates next year,” Bray said. “That (the latter) was recommended by the auditors, to do it that way.”

• The council approved to place a $500 donation from CountryMark into the town’s Rainy Day Fund.

• The council approved for its regular meetings to be moved to the second Thursday of each month. Bray provided the reasoning being the council and Clerk-Treasurer Andi Schardt will have more time to receive and review claims.

The change will go into effect in January.

With Utilities Operator Joe Cash absent, Town Attorney Jeff Boggess joined Bray, Schardt, Trusty and councilmen C.J. Huller and Jerry Huff for the meeting.

The next regular meeting of the Fillmore Town Council is set for Thursday, Dec. 7 at 7 p.m. at the Fillmore Town Hall.