Hamilton Hikes Cost Of Irrigation Meters

By ANDY KOBER
During the meeting held Monday, Apr. 13, the Hamilton City Council approved a significant increase in the cost of installing water meters for irrigation.
The use of separate water meters measuring water use for households and irrigation had been a requested service provided by the city for some time. For most water customers, the amount of money charged for sewer is based on household water consumption. However, sewer fees were not charged on water that flowed through the irrigation meter as this water did not involve sewer treatment.
Ben Hood, head of the city’s water and sewer department, offered a report to the city that indicated that while the city charged only $300 for installing an irrigation meter, it was costing the city in excess of $700. This included the meter, associated parts and labor.
The council unanimously approved a new fee of $750 for installation of water meters used for irrigation purposes.
CITY Manager Rhett Wade addressed the council regarding bills passed by the state legislature that are waiting for the governor to sign or veto.
Most of the concern impacts property taxes and could result in considerable less revenue for towns and cities across the state, including Hamilton. There could also be impacts to various sales tax issues that could also reduce funding for towns and cities. With less revenue, some towns and cities could be forced into reducing services.
Wade also reported on legislative efforts regarding school speed zone cameras, which continue to be a controversial subject. He said that as state laws are currently written, Hamilton is compliant with signage and flashing lights providing warning to drivers. Wade noted reviewing new legislation regarding hours of camera operation, which he said “closely resembles” Hamilton’s operation of those cameras.
Hamilton Police Chief Eric Weiss clarified the city’s school speed zone cameras are operational during a one-hour window when schools are opening and school buses arriving, and a one-hour window when schools are closing and school buses are departing. In some areas the school speed zone cameras are active during the entire school day, when students should be safely ensconced in school buildings. Wade also highlighted a continuing effort by some state legislators to totally ban school speed zone cameras.
There was also an effort in the state legislature to require a local referendum every five years to approve or disapprove use of school speed zone cameras.
HAMILTON is on the way to joining Pine Mountain as a Purple Heart city.
Representatives of American Legion Post 189 and VFW Post 10558 noted other Purple Heart cities in the area, though failed to mention Pine Mountain, and requested that Hamilton approve such a proclamation.
It would be council member Alvin Howard that noted Pine Mountain had previously passed such a proclamation, and the official designation was in process.
It was unanimously approved for Hamilton Mayor Patrick Whearley to sign such a proclamation. Once that is done, efforts could be made to have the Harris County Commission declare the county as a Purple Heart county.