NEWBURG — The Independence water project could be sent out for bids soon.
Mayor Edgar Fortney said nine of the 10 easements needed to begin the project have been signed.
The mayor said town attorney Sheila Williams sent a letter to the State Public Service Commission (PSC), and “If everything is OK, we can send out bids.”
Council voted to write checks for a Department of Highways permit and pay Vaughn, Coast and Vaughn Inc., the project engineers.
In other business, Newburg is updating its billing system, according to town clerk Janet Adams. Adams told council one of the town’s two computers is no longer useable.
“I bought a new computer and had to buy new QuickBooks, a new router and a new back up device,” she said.
Adams said this did not fix the problem. She told council information cannot be backed up from a second computer that contains billing for water service. The old computer has a Windows 7 system and the new computer has Windows 10.
Adams said she looked at a web-based billing program that costs $12,000 and $2,000 a year after the first year.
“It’s web-based so customers can email their bills and pay them online,” she said.
Council suggested contacting other towns to find out what system they currently use.
Steve Moran, water plant manager, said five radios and five antennas will have to be replaced in water tanks. The radios send an alert if a tank is overflowing or has other water related problems.
Moran said the new equipment will upgrade the system. If purchased, the equipment will cost the town about $13,000, according to Moran.
Fortney said Newburg should have the current system tested before buying a new one.
“You don’t have signal strength if trees are in the way of the signal,” he said.
Councilwoman Rhonda Myers agreed. “We can’t put out money if there is no way to guarantee it will work,” she said.
No further action was taken.
Trick or treat for Newburg will be 5:30-7 p.m. Oct. 31.
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