PORT ANGELES — City Hall will spend $44,801 to gain the public’s confidence in its plan to replace utility meters with “smart,” computerized versions.
The Port Angeles City Council approved a “communications plan” for the approximately $5 million advanced metering project in a 6-1 vote Tuesday, with Brad Collins opposed.
The plan — intended to educate residents on why the city is making the switch — will cost a total of $69,801. The Bonneville Power Administration is contributing $25,000 through a grant.
The contract is with Parker LePla of Seattle, a marketing firm.
The advanced metering project will essentially allow the city to do three things: read meters from City Hall, connect and disconnect service with the push of a button and allow residents to voluntarily have their water heaters turned off for a few minutes a day to reduce the city’s peak-use charges from BPA.
Parker LePla’s tasks include, among other things, training city staff on how to answer questions regarding the project, creating a website for the project, creating doorbell hangers and other printed materials for residents and organizing three town hall-style meetings about the project.
Collins, while saying he supports the project, questioned whether the city needs to spend money to persuade residents that it is needed.
“I’m of the opinion that we have a very good staff and, if our purpose is to educate, then I think our staff can provide this,” he said.
City Manager Kent Myers told the council that the marketing plan is needed because the project will result in a complete overhaul in how the city meters water and electrical use.
“This is a major change for customers who are used to a certain type of meter,” he said.
Myers said the city could be at risk of a negative response from residents if it doesn’t invest in public outreach.
“If we don’t have a huge communications plan, I think you are assuming a lot of risk,” he said.
The city initially hired Parker LePla in August for $35,917 to develop a communications plan.
The additional $33,884 approved by the council Tuesday will go toward expanding their efforts to include creating a website, customer surveys, billing inserts, door hangers and other marketing materials.
Phil Lusk, city power resources manager, said advanced metering could save the city up to $3 million a year through the voluntary water heater-shutoff program.
All the city’s water meters, and about 65 percent of its electrical meters, are aged and need to be replaced, he said.
For more information on advanced metering, phone Lusk at 360-417-4703.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
