Electric and water meters in Columbia could be replaced under a $41 million proposal the Columbia City Council will consider at its meeting Monday. The council is also expected to consider approval of the finalized fiscal year 2027 budget.
The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Monday at the Daniel Boone City Building, 701 E. Broadway.
The new “smart” meters would automatically report usage rates to the city while allowing online access to customers for hourly and daily usage information. City officials also said the new meters would result in more accurate billing for customers.
If approved, the total expected cost would be $41.8 million, with additional yearly costs of approximately $640,925. Savings and revenue would increase by $71 million over a 15-year period under the new system, according to city staff.
The council will consider authorizing up to $39.8 million in special obligation bonds, which will be used to pay for the metering system.
Annual budget
The council is preparing for its final vote on the fiscal year 2027 budget, which will start on Oct. 1 and last until Sept. 30, 2027. The priorities of the new budget include city employees, public safety, affordable housing and a resilient economy.
Following amendments made during the Sept. 8 meeting, proposed revenue exceeds $581 million, up 4%. Fees and service charges take up more than half of the proposed total revenue, at 59.8%. The largest fund type increase would be Internal Service Funds with a 14.7% increase since fiscal year 2026.
Total proposed expenditures exceed $606 million, which is a 0.2% decrease. Utilities is the largest function group expenditure, accounting for almost half of all proposed expenditures, while Personnel Services is the largest expenditure category, accounting for about 29.6%.
Energy Conservation Code
The council will decide whether to repeal Article X of Chapter 6 of the City Code and adopt the 2024 International Energy Conservation Code. This is an effort to make homes more energy efficient, but individuals within the housing industry have argued that the changes may result in higher costs for consumers.
City staff has made six amendments for the council to consider, as well as recommendations by the Building Construction Codes Commission.
DEA Task Force
The City Council will vote on an ordinance to allow Police Chief Jill Schlude and City Manager De’Carlon Seewood to enter the Columbia Police Department into a Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force.
The DEA is a federal agency that combats drug trafficking and enforces drug laws across the United States, and it works with local agencies to help investigate drug crimes.
The agreement, according to the agenda, will assign an experienced officer to the task force for no less than two years, and will work under DEA supervision and be deputized as a DEA Task Force Officer.
If approved, the agreement will remain active until Sept. 30, 2031, unless terminated by either party within 30 days notice.
The Columbia Police Department has been involved in the DEA Task Force previously. In 2023, the City Council voted to participate in the task force.
According to a staff report on the agenda, the partnership will give the Columbia Police Department “additional tools, resources, investigative support, and federal partnerships to better address crimes involving narcotics and dangerous drugs.”
