Meter Reader I

City of Bentonville • Bentonville, AR

12h • Onsite

About The Position

Reads electric and water utility meters and records volume used by residential and commercial consumers. This role involves walking or driving over established routes to record meter readings, reset demand reset devices, and potentially collect monies or disconnect services for accounts in arrears. The position also includes turning services on or off, utilizing meter reading and billing software, inspecting meters for defects or unauthorized connections, and verifying readings to identify abnormal conditions. The incumbent will maintain a positive image of the City through courteous behavior and will need to learn and utilize the city’s automated meter reading system. Attendance and the ability to get along with the public, supervisors, and co-workers are essential.

Requirements

• High school diploma or general education degree (GED) and six (6) months to one (1) years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to read and comprehend simple instructions, short correspondence, and memos.
• Ability to write simple correspondence.
• Ability to effectively present information in one-on-one and small group situations to customers, clients, and other employees of the organization.
• Ability to add and subtract two digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's.
• Ability to perform these operations using units of American money and weight measurement, volume, and distance.
• Able to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions.
• Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Demonstrated skills in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook or other similar software and have the ability to learn and operate in a variety of software programs.
• Must have a valid drivers license.
• Regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
• Frequently required to stand, walk, and sit.
• Regularly required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl; and to occasionally taste or smell.
• Must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds, and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Requires the incumbent to perform a significant amount of walking and climbing over uneven ground in all kinds of weather.
• Incumbent is also required to safely operate a City motor vehicle over various types of terrain and in all kinds of weather.
• Incumbent must also frequently crawl, stoop, and bend while locating and reading meters.
• Periods of prolonged sitting and driving in City vehicles.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to learn and utilize aspects of the city’s automated meter reading system including field and office components.

Responsibilities

• Walks or drive vehicle over established routes and records reading from assigned meter registers and resets/reseals demand reset devices as necessary.
• Participates in collecting monies or disconnect services in the field for assigned portion of approximately 1,800 accounts per year that are in arrears.
• Participates turning service on or off, for assigned portion of approximately 10,300 work orders a year.
• Utilizes meter reading and billing software and associated devices to record meter readings and transfer of readings for account billing of assigned portion of 55,000 meters each month.
• Inspects meters, enclosures, and connections for defects, damage and unauthorized connections; ensures meter enclosures are properly sealed for safety and security.
• Indicates irregularities for necessary action.
• Operates vehicle in a courteous and safe manner at all times.
• Maintain, records, tools, vehicles, equipment and work areas in clean, orderly and safe manner.
• Promote positive image of City by being courteous and appropriate behavior.
• Verifies readings to locate abnormal conditions, consumptions and attempt to determine reasons for unusual fluctuations.
• Maintains awareness of surroundings and reports any new meters along assigned route not in meter reading device.
• Must be able to learn and utilize aspects of the city’s automated meter reading system including field and office components.
• Participate in rotating weekly after-hours stand-by schedule within the department.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: High school or GED