AVALON – In low-lying areas of the borough, Avalon property owners must elevate electric meters to heights that make meter reading difficult. For years, homeowners have been able to rely on collapsible platforms that, in essence, provided a pullout ladder or step for use by Atlantic City Electric (ACE) employees to use for access to the meters.
At the March 23 meeting of Avalon Borough Council, governing body members were told that such collapsible platforms will no longer satisfy ACE. As Pepco Holdings and Exelon merged, ACE practices come under new corporate policies, which include not having ACE employees use the collapsible platforms.
The council heard a report from the borough administration that the need for permanent platforms for those homes with a meter at a significant height would require a setback exception.
Assistant Administrator James Waldron said that Avalon was drafting ordinance language that closely mirrored that used by Ocean City.
“We are not unique with respect to this problem,” Waldron said.
The discussion occurred during a council work session and no action on any proposed ordinance amendments was taken. One member of the public urged the council to consider other alternatives to a setback exception.
“We need to know when ACE will have the capability to read the meters remotely,” said Martha Wright.
