Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Finance Department

To:  Dave Corliss, City Manager

From:  Ed Mullins, Finance Director

Date:  January 13, 2010

Subject:  Agenda item:  Purchase of water meter transmitters

Background

The Finance Department has placed radio transmitters on approximately 2000 water meters in hard to read locations.  These locations are typically inside buildings or in hard to access areas such as the meter vaults outside the Stouffer Place units.  Because these locations require additional time to read the meter or two meter readers because of safety concerns, the department has been adding radio transmitters for about 10 years.

Description

The batteries on the transmitters have approximately a ten year life and some of these are no longer functioning and need to be replaced.  The department would like to replace 125 of these and purchase an additional 25 to either replace failed units or install in new locations.  The estimated cost is $15,450 plus shipping or $103 per transmitter.  The department purchases the Orion transmitters manufactured by Badger meter because they can be read by our software and retro fit onto existing Badger water meters.  They also have proven superior to the Raymar transmitters we initially purchased. This is a sole source purchase from Midwest Meters, distributor of Badger meters.

Action

Since the requested purchase is over $15,000 City Commission approval is required.  Please place the item on a future City Commission agenda so the Finance Department can perform this much needed maintenance.