Westerville Charter Amendment on Smart Meters To Be On Ballot In November
Electric Meter Elective
Former Westerville City Council member Tim Davey supports a charter amendment on the November ballot that would allow residents to choose traditional utility meters instead of required smart meters. He played a key role in getting the amendment on the ballot by personally collecting three-fourths of the needed signatures door-to-door. The change would give residents the option to select traditional meters rather than the mandatory smart meters.
Davey states that the change would reintroduce an opt-out similar to what state regulators require of investor-owned utilities like AEP, which are subject to rules that don’t apply to Westerville’s municipal system. City Council approved putting the amendment before voters, as required by the Ohio Constitution.
He also shares personal concerns about health risks and data collection from advanced meters. Davey states he has never owned a microwave, doesn’t carry a cell phone, and has no smart devices at home. He fears that detailed usage data, if exposed, could reveal household routines.
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He initially opposed the city’s adoption of smart meters in 2010, citing cost concerns. He mentioned California’s experience, where an earlier rollout was abandoned due to expense and reliability problems. “It was never a savings to customers,” he recalled, “it was extra revenue to pay for costly meters.”
Davey argues that the city’s initial case for smart meters overestimated the benefits. A feasibility study estimated about half a million dollars in annual savings, but he claims those savings never reached customers. Instead, the city assumed that older analog meters undercounted usage while digital meters measured more accurately. Rather than lowering rates to pass on that difference, the city kept rates steady and collected more revenue.
“The half million dollars wasn’t a savings for customers,” Davey said. “It was just extra revenue to help pay for very costly smart meters.”
Westerville once allowed residents to opt out of smart meters without penalty, later added a fee, and then eliminated the opt-out program in 2024. Davey said that repeated efforts to persuade the City Council to restore the option had gone nowhere.
“In theory, I would have preferred to do it as an ordinance,” Davey said. “But council could repeal it immediately. A charter amendment can’t be undone without another vote.”
His group, Westerville Smart Meter Awareness, collected 3,242 valid signatures, well above the 1,906 needed to place the measure on the ballot. Davey said he personally gathered more than 1,400 signatures by going door-to-door. “That’s all I did was door to door,” he recalled, noting he spoke with several thousand residents during the petition drive.
City officials warn that the amendment would require the Electric and Water divisions to operate two separate systems: the current automated network and a new manual meter program. Since utility-grade manual meters are no longer widely produced and meter-reading staff positions were eliminated years ago, restoring manual service would need new staff and equipment upgrades.
Officials estimate start-up costs at roughly $310,000, plus ongoing salaries, hardware, and maintenance. According to the amendment, those requesting manual meters cannot be charged extra; therefore, the additional expenses will be covered by the overall rates, meaning residents who opt for smart meters would subsidize the program.
If the measure passes, customers might be able to request manual meters that need on-site readings. However, city officials point out that only refurbished units are currently for sale. Managing both systems at the same time, they argue, would raise operating costs and decrease efficiency, which could eventually impact future utility rates for most residents who stay in the automated program.
The city also points out service limitations. Customers with manual meters cannot join certain safety programs, such as automatic shut-off during a home fire. At the same time, officials underline that the city’s automated system uses encrypted, secure data and does not share individual information with outside parties except under strict agreements or when required by law.
City Manager Monica Dupee said Westerville’s charter makes it relatively straightforward for citizens to propose amendments. “Most communities have more steps in charter amendments in their charter,” she noted after the council meeting. “We do not at this point. We will review that and see if it’s necessary.”
If approved, the amendment would require the city’s electric and water utilities to:
Provide residents with the option of a traditional analog meter at no additional cost.
Install requested meters within 30 days or allow residents to supply their own, subject to a free accuracy test.
Prohibit ongoing surcharges for customers who choose non-smart meters.
Davey emphasized that the measure does not require the city to eliminate smart meters entirely. “It just restores choice,” he said. “If someone prefers to keep a smart meter, they can. But for those with health or privacy concerns, there should be another option.”
The campaign is now shifting from petition drives to voter education. Davey expects about one-third of residents to continue using smart meters, while roughly two-thirds will probably switch back to traditional meters if given the opportunity.
Voters in Franklin and Delaware counties will decide on the November ballot whether to approve the measure. If it passes, the charter amendment becomes effective immediately under state law.
Important Links
Westerville Smart Meter Awareness
City of Westerville Charter Amendment Statement
Charter Amendment Text
September 2, 2025 City Council Meeting Video
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