Agenda Packets - 2008/08/11 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Item No: 7G Meeting Date: August 11, 2008 Type of Business: Council Business Administrator Review: _____ City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Honorable Mayor and City Council From: Michael Schnur, Lead Utility Operator Item Title/Subject: Resolution 7313 Authorizing the Purchase and Installation of 650 Neptune R900 Radio Read Devices Background: At the January 14th 2008 Council meeting, resolution 7203 for the purchase of 1200 radio reading devices, software, and reading equipment for the water meter reading system replacement program, was approved. This purchase was to replace the then 900 failed reading devices, and future failures. Discussion: Since then, Public Works staff has installed nearly 1000 radio read devices throughout the City. Staff has replaced all but 13 of the original 900 failed residential reading devices. At the end of the first quarter, an additional 100 reading devices failed, and staff has replaced all but 25 of those on the first pass, and is about to do a second pass. Now, the second quarter readings have just been completed, and there are 367 units on the non-read list. So there are about 329 new failed phone-read accounts that need to be replaced. Staff has around 200 R900 radio read devices in stock and continues to install them when time permits. It is also expected that the remaining phone read units will fail in the near future, and will need to be replaced. There are approximately 1500 total readers that need to be replaced. Further Discussion: Staff has contacted Northern Water Works Supply, and they will honor their original bid price for radio devices at $95.14 each, which includes tax. They will honor that price for a purchase of 650 units yet this year, and an additional purchase of 650 units in the beginning of 2009. This will provide us with the total needed to replace the remaining phone read system and eliminate a dedicated computer, software and software maintenance costs. Staff estimates that it will cost $11,000 to 12,000 for overtime to install 850 devices. Recommendation: Staff recommends purchasing 650 Neptune R900 radio read devices from Northern Water Works Supply at a cost of $61,841.00 which includes tax and recommends authorizing the overtime for staff to install them. Respectfully submitted, ________________________ Michael Schnur, Lead Utility Operator