Bridgeport council considers new water metering system

BRIDGEPORT – The Bridgeport City Council held its first regular meeting in person on Wednesday, July 21, since the state officially reopened for business June 30, and had a full plate of issues to address following more than a year of trying to conduct business virtually.
A representative from Correct Equipment pitched the council on a new water meter system that will allow hands-off data collection through a process called Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI). The process involves a device called a collector that communicates with the meters every three hours providing a host of water economy and cost-saving advantages.
The council approved a supplemental contract with Gray & Osborne who will be performing the engineering for the water main replacement on Columbia Avenue from 10th to 13th streets.
Bid requests will go out this fall for replacement of the wastewater treatment lab that was among the structures burned in Bridgeport during last fall’s Pearl Hill wildfire.
Design work for the city’s second water reservoir tower continues on schedule.
Phase 3 of the Foster Avenue overlay project from 10th to 14th Street funded by the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) was scheduled to commence on Monday, July 26.
Crack sealing will repair 10 blocks of the northbound lane of Columbia Avenue on the west end of the city.
Initial bids to create a parking lot on 24th Street and Foster Avenue for visitor access to the tree sculptures bordering the avenue came in much higher than expected so public works personnel have roughed in the space, did leveling, and added gravel. The Revitalization Committee is arranging funding to provide signage for the new space.
During council comments near the end of the meeting council member Matthew Schuh proposed that the council schedule a public hearing at the August meeting to discuss an ordinance to absorb the Transportation Benefit District (TBD) into the city.
“This will save the city and TBD money on insurance and audit costs,” Schuh told The Quad. “This would not eliminate the TBD, but make it one entity with the city and not its own separate entity as it has been since inception.”

Schuh said the council must hold a public hearing before an ordinance can be passed to absorb the TBD.

“The $20 car tab fee will still be levied after the absorption occurs,” Schuh said.