GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) - Business was as usual at the Gridley City Council meeting, held March 15^th.

Gridley City Council voted unanimously to approve research into and cost analysis of multiple meter companies that would potentially replace Gridley’s current, Itron Meter System. The council was informed the current system is inefficient, creating additional manual labor for multiple city departments to obtain clear and accurate data.

Electric Utility Director Danny Howard presented council with a variety of items to consider with regard to the old meter system. The current meters are at the end of their lifespan at 20+ years old, meter screens are unreadable and cumbersome to replace, meters are typically located in difficult to access areas on private property and many meters must be hand-read to get accurate readings or clear discrepancies. Gridley utility crews are often called out 10-20 times a month to take manual readings from meters. In addition, a Field Collection System software update later in the year is expected to cause issues with the already antiquated meters.

Howard suggested New Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) software which allows for real-time reads and connection, the ability to disconnect and reconnect of utility services from a City employee’s computer, and other beneficial tools that could streamline utility data collection for the City of Gridley.

Moving on, City Council heard from City Engineer Dave Harden regarding planning and progression of the Feather River Sewer Crossing Project and additional services needed from Bennett Engineering Services (BENS). BENS has been working on a feasibility study for the replacement of the Feather River Sewer Crossing under a $500,000 planning grant under Clean Water State Revolving Fund.

Concern over the current location and condition of Gridley’s 50+ year-old sewer force main has been expressed, specifically by downriver municipalities fearful of a contaminated water supply. Harden says, that “what we thought was going to be a pretty straight forward pipe replacement project” has encountered major issues with the geography of the terrain, excluding directional drilling from the table.

Harden suggests micro-tunneling as the City’s only viable option. Additional services from BENS exceed planning grant reimbursable limit by a total $68,037.  The additional $68,000 could be minuscule when compared to the cost of environmental impacts if hazardous materials were to leak in large amounts. Although the services of a diver are retained to inspect the pipe every few years, Harden says, “We don’t really have a way to confidently say this pipe doesn’t leak in the river and if it ever does, it’s basically on Gridley for the environmental impacts.”

Therefore, City Council approved additional services for the Feather River Sewer Crossing project and moved into closed session to discuss and review “Scott McMillian et al vs. City of Gridley”, Butte County Superior Court, case no. 21CV00451. The Gridley Herald did not receive a report from closed session.