Robbinsville – The town’s utility workers will soon have an updated system for meter reading and recording, replacing obsolete equipment.
Robbinsville’s Board of Aldermen voted 2-0 to purchase new handheld tablets from Southern Software, at a cost of $11,350.
The three devices will take the place of equipment that is obsolete or otherwise not in working condition.
The total purchase came down to $10,500 for three of the DT Research DT380CR Rugged tablets, plus $850 for installation and training for the meter readers that will be using the devices. The purchase will also include parts and labor on the devices.
After two years, the town will have the option to purchase additional years of service with Southern Software, at a cost of $200 per device.
Town Maintenance Supervisor Chadd Carpenter explained why the new tablets were needed, saying the town’s current devices were growing more obsolete.
“Three can get us to where we can do it,” Carpenter said. “I know it’s a lot of money. If we had three of them we could get by, but the ones we do have, I can’t promise that they’re going to last the rest of this year, they’re so outdated.”
Raises, mold
Town employees will also see a little bit more in their paychecks this month, following the approval of a three percent pay raise for all employees.
The raise will exclude the mayor and aldermen, and will be applied retroactively from July 1.
The raises will cost the town $16,890, and will be divided between the town’s general fund and the water and sewer fund, depending on the employee’s role.
The board also approved the purchase of a new basement awning from Savnac Canvas and Signs, at a cost of $963, as the next step in the town’s battle with a black mold issue in its town hall.
Mayor Steve Hooper also gave an update on the ongoing situation.
“We’re to the point where it’s ready to start being gone through and cleaned out,” Hooper said. “Once we do that, it’ll just be bring dehumidifiers in down there that we’ve already got on hand. Then we can start dehumidifying it and getting the mold people to come in and do that 48-hour process, and kill that mold down there.”