SKANEATELES - The village board unanimously approved an intermunicipal agreement with the town Monday that will pave the way for automated meter readers for Water and Light Department customers.

Trustees hesitated to support the agreement earlier this month mainly due to uncertainty surrounding state Public Service Commission approval.

The board wanted the ability to opt out in case the state did not allow the $526,000 project to continue.

“As it turns out, we didn't need approval for this project,” village Mayor Robert Green said after the meeting.

The PSC blessing would only be required on the electrical meters if the village planned to raise rates to pay for the project, Trustee Timothy Lynn said. The AMR system will allow the village to read meters wirelessly.

The village and town boards held a special meeting recently to iron out the details. There are currently about 1,500 electric meters in the village, and 2,000 water meters for the town and village.

Of the town's water meters, about half - the oldest models - will need to be replaced if the two-way communication system by Sensus is installed. The other water meters are less than 15 years old, and they could be retrofitted to use the technology.

The total project, which could be completed in three phases, could cost as much as $526,000, less about $66,000 in previously awarded grants for the AMR system.

The town's share would be just over $200,000, and the village's share about $250,000.

In other news:

• Village trustees agreed to consolidate the two regular meetings for December into one session on Dec. 17.

Staff writer Shane Liebler can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 248 or shane.liebler@lee.net