MONROE - The Monroe Common Council voted unanimously Tuesday, March 19 to accept an agreement with Siemens Industries in Waukesha, which will satisfy any warranty claims and obligations regarding the city's water system improvement SCADA system.
SCADA is a computer-controlled system that monitors and control the water utility's operations. The city's contact with Siemens began in July 2007.
Mike Kennison, water utility supervisor, and Rex Ewald, city attorney, reported continuing problems with the system and with maintenance and repairs that Siemens was expected to remedy. Ewald said the offer was generous and recommended the city accept it.
The agreement cancels the city's contract with Siemens and opens the door for it to replace it with a new system. The new system will be integrated with the monitoring system at the wastewater treatment plant during its upgrades scheduled this year.
Kennison said the new system will operate with a more universal computer language that will allow other firms to work on it, allowing the city to hire local firms to fix and repair problems. Only Siemens technicians are privy to the Siemens system language, Kennison said, and they require as much as two days to get on site to make their repairs and adjustments.
Installing the new system will cost about $100,000, according to Kennison. However, Siemens has agreed to reimburse the city for more than $50,000, forego about $25,000 in future payments and compensate the city for any justifiable costs for repairs made by third parties arising from any negligence on its part.
Kennison said the remaining costs to install a new system could be reduced by salvaging and using several components of the current system, such as antenna, wiring and computers.
City Comptroller Bridget Schuchart also noted the utility may see some reduced labor costs, because the new system would potentially eliminate the false alarms that have been sending employees into overtime after hours.
Alan Eckstein, director of water utilities, reported March 4 at the Finance and Taxation Committee that Siemens was not going to fix the system and recommended a settlement agreement.
SCADA is a computer-controlled system that monitors and control the water utility's operations. The city's contact with Siemens began in July 2007.
Mike Kennison, water utility supervisor, and Rex Ewald, city attorney, reported continuing problems with the system and with maintenance and repairs that Siemens was expected to remedy. Ewald said the offer was generous and recommended the city accept it.
The agreement cancels the city's contract with Siemens and opens the door for it to replace it with a new system. The new system will be integrated with the monitoring system at the wastewater treatment plant during its upgrades scheduled this year.
Kennison said the new system will operate with a more universal computer language that will allow other firms to work on it, allowing the city to hire local firms to fix and repair problems. Only Siemens technicians are privy to the Siemens system language, Kennison said, and they require as much as two days to get on site to make their repairs and adjustments.
Installing the new system will cost about $100,000, according to Kennison. However, Siemens has agreed to reimburse the city for more than $50,000, forego about $25,000 in future payments and compensate the city for any justifiable costs for repairs made by third parties arising from any negligence on its part.
Kennison said the remaining costs to install a new system could be reduced by salvaging and using several components of the current system, such as antenna, wiring and computers.
City Comptroller Bridget Schuchart also noted the utility may see some reduced labor costs, because the new system would potentially eliminate the false alarms that have been sending employees into overtime after hours.
Alan Eckstein, director of water utilities, reported March 4 at the Finance and Taxation Committee that Siemens was not going to fix the system and recommended a settlement agreement.