Meter Reader I

City of Farmington • Farmington, NM

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The City of Farmington is seeking a Meter Reader I for their Electric Utility department. This is a regular, full-time position requiring the employee to work alone and independently for approximately seven hours of each eight-hour workday. The Meter Reader works under the direction of the Metering Supervisor, with occasional radio contact and daily supervision through review of hand-held computer entries. The role involves reading electric and water meters with 99% accuracy in rural and urban areas, recording usage, checking for tampering, and noting any unusual changes or malfunctions. The position also requires operating a motor vehicle in various weather conditions, handling interactions with customers and animals, and maintaining assigned tools and equipment. The employee must participate in the City's Environmental, Health, and Safety program.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Ability to learn county/city roads to locate meter addresses throughout the City, San Juan County, parts of Rio Arriba County, and parts of southern Colorado.
• Must have valid New Mexico Driver's License.
• Ability to drive a 4 wheel drive motor vehicle in all types of weather and terrain and get in and out of the vehicle all day.
• Basic mathematical skills required to compute reads which DataCap will not accept.
• Ability to learn to perform minor vehicle repairs such as changing a tire.
• A calm temperament is required to enable courteous interaction with customers and dogs.
• Ability to learn to read electrical meters (KVAR, demand, cyclometer, pointer, remote, time of use) and water meters (includes touch read remotes).
• Ability to communicate with two-way radio.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally to ensure proper communication within the City and with customers.
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing to ensure reports are thorough and interpretable.
• Ability to establish and maintain successful, professional working relationships with all co-workers, supervisors, other City departments and the public.
• Ability to learn to operate all functions of the hand held computer.
• Basic knowledge of meter tampering as defined by the City Code.
• Basic knowledge of unsafe service so that it can be reported to supervisor.
• Ability to learn billing procedures as established and enforced by Customer Service Division in order to answer customer questions.
• Pre-employment physical and/or drug/alcohol test is required.
• Subject to the City's Drug and Alcohol Free Workplace Program.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to work with angry or difficult customers in an efficient manner.

Responsibilities

• Upload/download daily reads for billing if Metering Supervisor is unavailable.
• Promote and follow safe practices, procedures, and safety rules and participate in scheduled Safety Meetings.
• Demonstrate honesty, integrity, confidentiality, dependability, and flexibility along with initiative and motivation to organize and complete tasks and meet deadlines.
• Perform duties and assignments and conduct self in such a manner as to reflect credit on the Utility.
• Read electric and water meters in rural and urban areas with 99% accuracy.
• Read electrical meters (KVAR, demand, cyclometer, pointer, remote and time of use) and water meters (includes touch read remotes).
• Using a hand-held computer, locate addresses throughout San Juan County, New Mexico and parts of southern Colorado in order to read meters.
• Record water and electricity usage.
• Visually read meters and enter information into hand-held computer for customer billing.
• Check meters for tampering.
• Note or contact office of any unusual changes in consumption, location or malfunctions such as leaks or damaged meters.
• Handle and work around dogs and other animals.
• Open and close gates when entering customers' property, being careful to leave gates and livestock as found.
• Use metal detector to locate buried meters; use shovel, ice pick or bailing can, as necessary, to locate or uncover meters.
• Occasionally use binoculars to read distant, inaccessible meters.
• Respond courteously to customers' inquiries and report problems or discrepancies to supervisor.
• Walk several miles in each work day in all types of weather.
• Operate motor vehicle in all types of weather and on all types of roads; drive and get in and out of vehicle repeatedly throughout the day.
• Communicate frequently with two-way radio.
• Maintain any assigned tools and equipment and ensure they are in good working order.
• Participate in the City's Environmental, Health, and Safety program, including identifying and taking action on environmental, health, and safety issues.
• Assist others in the division by hanging warning tags, completing re-reads, rechecks for delinquent customers that have been disconnected for non-payment, and perform occupant change readings.
• Prepare necessary paperwork in case of no access.
• Train new readers as assigned.
• Testify in Court as to the condition of a meter in case of meter tampering.
• Perform minor vehicle maintenance when necessary such as changing of tires.
• Schedule routine vehicle maintenance at Municipal Vehicle Maintenance using the maintenance schedule.

Benefits

• The job description does not explicitly list benefits.

What This Job Offers

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