Sunland Park, Texas – On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the Sunland Park City Council gave the green light to a development agreement with Johnson Controls Inc. that will fund a comprehensive study of the city’s water‑meter infrastructure. The agreement sets a $249,000 development fee for planning and testing services, a figure that was not listed in the agenda’s financial summary.
Consent agenda approval
The agreement was bundled into the council’s consent agenda, a collection of items voted on together unless a council member requests separate consideration. While the agenda noted the agreement for approval, it left four financial fields blank: fiscal impact, amount budgeted, funding source, and amount available.
What the study will cover
Section 6 of the five‑page contract, included in the council’s 210‑page meeting packet, confirms the city’s commitment to pay Johnson Controls $249,000 for development services. The fee covers planning work, not the eventual cost of replacing or upgrading the water meters.
Johnson Controls will examine the existing meter system, review water‑billing records for possible errors, test meters for size or type mismatches, and evaluate remote‑reading technology that could eliminate the need for manual meter checks. Additional options under review include automatic leak detection, an online customer portal, and the ability to remotely disconnect selected meters.
Potential savings and future steps
The study will also look at ways to reduce unwanted water entering the city’s sewer system. While the final project may not include every recommended improvement, the contractor will present a proposal that outlines options, projected savings, and cost estimates.
If the city does not enter a follow‑up implementation agreement within 90 days of receiving the study, the $249,000 development fee becomes payable at that time. Should an implementation contract be signed within the 90‑day window, the fee will be rolled into the larger project’s total price and will follow that contract’s payment schedule.
Timeline
The agreement outlines a schedule that begins with a project kickoff on Oct. 28 and a water‑meter technology workshop on Oct. 30. Meter testing is slated for completion by late January 2027, after which cost estimates, financing options, and a draft implementation contract will be prepared. The council is expected to consider the implementation contract and financing on May 18, 2027, though dates may shift if the parties agree to a revised timeline.
Transparency concerns
Although the $249,000 fee appears in the attached contract, the agenda’s financial summary omitted the amount, leaving residents who only review the agenda unaware of the development cost. The meeting records do not explain why the financial fields were left blank or identify the funding source for the agreement, questions that remain as the city moves toward a possible water‑meter upgrade.
For now, Sunland Park has approved the development agreement, setting the stage for a detailed study that will shape the future of the city’s water‑meter system. The total cost of any eventual replacement or modernization effort will be determined after the study’s findings are presented.
Original reporting: Organ Mountain News (Las Cruces / Doña Ana County) — read the source article.
