The Charleston City Council will meet today to approve various contracts, agreements and scholarships.

The city council will also vote on a resolution that will authorize a contract with Midwest Meter, Inc. for an automated meter reading system.

City Manager Scott Smith said the majority of commercial and residential meters will be replaced because of the age of the equipment.

Smith said through antenna support towers, the new technology can automatically send meter readings to City Hall.

Smith also said the antenna support towers will be added to existing infrastructure instead of additional towers being built.

Smith said the project can take approximately three to four years to implement, also adding that the city had no plans to eliminate meter reading jobs. Smith said, however, that restructuring of some positions could occur.

Smith said the new meter reading system will allow for better communication with the consumer and for the virtual elimination of the use of estimating.

“There are a lot of opportunities here for information sharing,” Smith said.

Smith said estimations are used in some cases during inclement weather, but the new system will not require the use of estimations.

The city council will be voting today regarding a possible $1.7 million loan in order to purchase the automated meter reading system through the First Mid-Illinois Bank & Trust. Smith said the money borrowed, however, could vary significantly.

The city council will also vote on the renewal of four-year scholarships for incoming Eastern students.

In order to maintain the scholarship, recipients must maintain a 2.5 GPA.

One previous recipient lost the scholarship after their GPA was lower than the requirement.

Two of the recipients have GPAs of 4.0, and three recipients have more than a 3.0 grade point average.

The scholarship recipients include Clinton Bays, Michael Bower, Ronnie Hellman, Ashlyn Hite, John Pogue, Phillip Sterling and McKenzie Vilardo.

Each recipient was awarded the scholarship based off criteria including academic prowess, leadership, community involvement, financial need, character, educational motivation, and other awards or achievements.

The city council will also vote on whether or not to authorize a contract for an automated agenda software system with SIRE Technologies.

SIRE Technologies has agreed to provide the city of Charleston with the necessary equipment and training that will allow for paperless agenda and minute-keeping software.

The Charleston City Council will also vote to approve the city’s budget for the fiscal year, which begins May 1, 2015 and ends April 30, 2013.

Kathryn Richter can be reached at 581-2812 or kjrichter@eiu.edu.