Village Board Delays Decision On Water Flow Meter

By John Larson

MAGDALENA – The Village Board Monday night delayed making a decision on the purchase of a new master water flow meter.
Joint Utilities Director Steve Bailey had requested the purchase of a new meter - costing between $1,300 and $1,500 – because, according to him, the current master meter is so old it may be misreading the amount of water pumped from the well.
“Accurate readings can show water loss, which translates to dollars being lost,” Bailey told the board. “Water is our main business, our main source of revenue from village residents. The current meter is old, and may show [a few million gallons] low.”
Bailey said the 20 year old unit is the master water meter for measuring how much water is being pumped from the wells and going into the water tanks.
“Quality is the most important thing, and when your readings may be off as much as 50 percent, when someone has to figure out the proper dosage of chlorine, the formula for chlorine may be off,” he said. “Either over or under the safe amount is a bad thing.”
Chlorine is added to public water supplies to kill disease-causing bacteria that the water or its transport pipes might contain.
“The old meter has turned over five times since I’ve been here,” he said. “A meter this old will start reading low, and that’s what seems to be happening.
Bailey said that when individual water bill readings are compared with the master on what’s been pumped, “we’re seeing a loss.”
Trustee Diane Allen wondered how long it would take a new meter “to pay for itself.”
Bailey said a new meter would help in leak detection, “for example with individual residential meters. With an accurate master reading we would be able to fix the problems over time, but we need accurate and reliable measurements.”
Trustee Barbara Baca said she would like more information on the need for the expenditure, since the current meter is still working. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” Baca said. “I just want to get a better understanding of the problem. I need to get a better picture in my head that it’s really needed if I’m going to approve spending this money.”
Bailey said he would be glad to enlighten the trustees on the village’s water system.
“Let me know what time is convenient for you and I will take you around and show you what we’re doing,” he said. “But not more than two at a time. More than that would be a quorum. And that’s all my truck can hold anyway.”
The board voted unanimously to table the issue.
In other business:
• Mayor Sandy Julian said there was a good chance of the village getting grant money to pave the south portion of Pine Street. “I went to the CDBG meeting in Las Vegas at the end of March and it looks good,” she said. “We will know for sure on April 22 when Rita and I go to the final meeting in Albuquerque.”
• The board rejected a request by Marshal Larry Cearley to pay $45 plus per diem and mileage for EMT Jana Harding to attend Critical Incident Management training in Albuquerque. Cearley said the training was important for the well being of fellow EMTs involved in traumatic emergencies, such as automobile accidents or other stressful calls that an EMT would experience. “At some point it’s going to affect you,” he said. He said counseling for EMTs could be provided on the scene or within two or three days afterward. Trustee Tommy Torres objected because he said it already exists. “I’ve seen it. They already have it,” he said. The motion failed for lack of a second.
• The board tabled a decision for the second meeting in a row on Trustee Diane Allen’s proposal of the establishment of a youth advisory council. She said the passage of Senate Memorial Bill 34 during the last legislative session encouraged communities to form councils that would create activities for young people. Allen said she spoke again, at Trustee Baca’s request, with Rep. Don Tripp who said that “we could set up a youth council the way we need to for our community.” She said she also approached School Superintendent Mike Chambers on the concept. Allen and Trustee Carmen Torres are both teachers at the school. “Maybe one person each from the board, the school, some of the young people should all be involved.” Allen said. “Primarily for the issues of providing activities for our youth. They would make a plan, and take part in the decision making. We would be there to guide them and to direct them.” Baca said she objected to Allen making inquiries (to the school superintendent) on her own. “I don’t like the idea of you going over and getting two, or just one of the board members to get information, where the others don’t know what’s going on,” Baca said. “[It’s like] you talked to them and left Tommy and me out.” Allen said the goal of the youth council was to be able to create options and activities for the youth in the community, and that she would go with what the board decided. Julian said she would insure that all four members of the board would be involved in the decision making. To that end, she recommended scheduling a trustee workshop to further work out further details. “Since there will be a quorum this will be a public meeting, and I’ll need 48 hours to give advance notice to the public,” Clerk Rita Broaddus said.

Village Board Delays Decision On Water Flow Meter