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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/12/06 Technologies 12/12/06 MINUTES OF THE REGULAR MEETING OF THE TECHNOLOGIES BOARD HELD ON December 12, 2006 The Regular Session of the TECHNOLOGIES BOARD of The Colony, Texas was called to order at 6:30 pm on the 12th of December, 2006 at CITY HALL, in the City Manager's Conference Room, City Hall, 6800 MAIN STREET, THE COLONY, TEXAS, with the following Technologies Board members present: J olm Marshall TeRon Lawrence John Harton Harshkumar Desai With 4 out of seven members present a quorum was established and the following items were discussed. 11.0 1 Call Meeting to Order: 6:48 P.M. 1 2.0 I DISPOSITION OF MINUTES Acceptance of Technologies Board Minutes for a meeting held on October 10,2006. 1 3.0 I CITIZEN INPUT None I 4.0 I AGENDA ITEMS 4.1 Discuss Citywide SCADA and Water Meter Reading Systems Gordon Scruggs, Director of Engineering and Utilities for The City of The Colony, gave a slide show presentation regarding the proposed SCADA and meter reading system. Mr. Scruggs explained the need to monitor the Wastewater lift stations. Mr. Scruggs explained the Water Distribution process and how the water comes into the City and the storage capacity of each well and storage tank. Mr. Scruggs explained the purpose of SCADA. We monitor the water and water system from Office Creek Pump System. With the SCADA system they would like to be able to monitor and control the Wastewater systems. Another purpose of the SCADA system would be for security. We would be able to install cameras and provide continuous water quality monitoring. Currently we are using microwave and cellular monitoring. In the future we would like to go to a Wi-Fi system converting from the microwave technology to Wi-Fi. In the short term we will continue to use cellular. Mr. Harton asked what the short and long term is. Mr. Scruggs said the short-term will be up to two years. The long-term will be two years plus. Once the Wi-Fi is online we will tie any new systems into it. In the short-term we will be using the cellular phasing systems in as technology and cost allows. Mr. Scruggs explained the purpose of the automated meter reading systems. It will free personnel to perform other job duties. The reads will come into billing at City Hall. The system will allow us to do continuous monitoring of water meters and detect possible leaks sooner. We would be able to detect defective meters and vandalism or meter tampering sooner. Mr. Johnson, IT 1 12/12/06 Manager for the City of The Colony, asked if this would eliminate all of the meter readers. Mr. Scruggs said it would not eliminate all of the positions because with a new system we will have new problems arise. Mr. Scruggs explained that right now we use handheld wands to read all of the meters. In the short-term we will continue to use this system but in the long-term we would like to go to the Wi-Fi system. He explained that in this case we would need to implement an ordinance requiring the developers to install the wireless meters. Mr. Harton asked if this will be coordinated with the implementation of the citywide wireless system. Mr. Johnson explained that this program will be further down the road than the citywide wireless system. Mr. Marshall asked if there are currently products in the marketplace. Mr. Scruggs said there are some out there but there have been a lot of problems with them that are slowly being worked out. Mr. Harton asked if the meters have batteries. Mr. Scruggs said they do have batteries with a life range of approximately five years. Mr. Harton asked if there will be continuous monitoring. Tod Maurina, Utility Superintendent for the City of The Colony, explained that we will not be continually monitoring the meters but more like once a day. Mr. Harton asked what the cost difference is in the Wi-Fi meters. Mr. Maurina said the cost is almost double. He said that the meters we have would probably not be compatible and that is why we would need to replace them. Mr. Lawrence asked if there will be a compatibility issue on the receiving end. Rebecca Koo, Finance Director for the City of The Colony, explained that we would have the vendor of the utility billing software write a program. Mr. Harton asked if we had approached the developer of Wynnewood about installing the new meters. Mr. Scruggs said we have discussed it but we need to pass an ordinance requiring this and we will have to already have the technology selected. Mr. Scruggs said that we have probably missed the opportunity with the Wynnewood project. Mr. Desai asked if Wi-Fi is a proven technology and how many other cities are using it. Mr. Johnson eXplained that there are multiple applications for Wi-Fi and the one that we are going to use is proven. Mr. Johnson said that Piano is looking at a system like this currently. There would be benefits for the new development but to retro fit the older equipment might not be cost effective at this time. Mr. Scruggs gave a list of future projects that will come back to the board before they are taken to council. Mr.Scruggs asked that the board consider the proposed purchase of upgraded handheld meter reading equipment from Northrop Gruman. Mr. Marshall asked when Mr. Scruggs is looking to take the proposed upgrade for the handheld meter reading system to council. Mr. Scruggs said he would like to take it in January if he gets the boards approval. Mr. Harton made a motion to approve the recommended system. Mr. Lawrence seconded the motion. Motion carnes. 1 5.0 I ADJOURNMENT With no further business, the meeting adjourned at 7:47 p.m. ~/~~ /~ John Marshall, Chairman 2