City to Upgrade its Water Meters

By George Slaughter

The Katy City Council Monday night adopted a resolution that will enable the city to upgrade its water meters, thus saving both time and labor when it comes to gather the information the meters track.

In a memo to the council recommending the changes, Finance Director Becky Wilkins said that the city currently reads its water meters with a radio read drive-by system that requires city staff to drive around the city each billing cycle.

“Due to the age of the current meter system, there are over 800 residential meters that must be read by a person, as they do not transmit for the drive-by system,” Wilkins wrote. “In an effort to provide a higher level of service, the city would like to upgrade to a radio read fixed base network system.”

Wilkins said the fixed base network system would have two transmitters on water towers within Katy city limits. The reading of meters would then be an automated process each month, thus enabling better use of city staff.

She said the upgraded system would allow for real-time monitoring in the event of a water leak and also allow for electronic re-reads instead of sending a city employee to verify the necessary information.

The resolution authorizes Mayor Chuck Brawner to sign a contract with Sensus and to sign a turnkey agreement with Aqua-Metric. The resolution also authorizes City Administrator Byron Hebert to enter into a financing agreement with Government Capital Corporation to procure water meter upgrades.

Council Approves No Label Brewing 5K Run

The council approved the No Label Brewing 5K Run, scheduled for 8 a.m. Saturday at No Label Brewing, 5351 1st St.

The race benefits the Rotaract Club of West Houston/Katy. Organizers said approximately 1,000 runners are expected to participate.

The course starts on 1st Street and turns north on East Street to right on East 5th Street, south on Airline Drive, east on East 3rd Street, north on Drexel Drive, west on 10th Street, south on Avenue C, east on 2nd Street, north on Avenue A, east on 5th Street, south on East Avenue and east on 1st Street back to the finish at the brewery.

The route will have a water stop at 10th Street and Avenue C. Trash cans will be provided for cups and any other trash.

All runners and volunteers with proper ID will receive beer tasting. Participants will be able to purchase food of their choice from food trucks that will be on site.

Other Actions Taken

In other action, the council:

  • Reviewed the city’s bank statement and check register through April 30.
  • Approved meeting minutes for council meetings held in March, April, and May.
  • Accepted a $1,100 donation to Keep Katy Beautiful in honor of Dixie McDonald.
  • Approved a $2,985 dues payment for membership in the Texas Municipal League.
  • Approved sanitary sewer and drainage, paving and appurtenances, and water improvements to Kingsland Boulevard, phase 2, and West Firethorne Road, phase 1.
  • Approved sanitary and sewer and drainage, paving and appurtenances, and water improvements to Young Ranch, section 9.
  • Approved a change order to the 2017 waterline replacement project. In a letter to the council explaining the change, City Engineer David Leyendecker said that two small sections of additional waterline replacement were added to the project. The changes total $30,273 and bring the project total to $191,400.
  • Reviewed and approved the preliminary official statement for the sale and delivery of $9 million city permanent improvement bonds. The city is expected to price and award the bonds at the June 25 council meeting.
  • Adopted a resolution declaring certain city property as surplus and authorizing its sale or disposal.
  • Adopted a resolution authorizing Fort Bend County Municipal District #161 issue tax bonds up to $4.425 million.
  • Adopted a resolution appointing Ronald Parent as a director for the Village of Katy Development District.
  • Adopted a resolution authorizing the mayor to sign an agreement with LJA Engineering for professional services for Katy Town Square, phase 3.
  • Passed an ordinance to amend the city’s investment policy. State law requires the policy be updated annually. The only change was to update the policy effective date to this month.
  • Passed an ordinance to appoint Clint Stockdick as a regular member and Jason Ward as an alternate member to the city planning and zoning commission, and Jim Lipke as a regular member and Paul Redmon as an alternate member to the city building and standards commission.