WINTERSVILLE — Village officials discussed issues arising from new water meters and responded to complaints about snow plowing at Tuesday’s Wintersville Council meeting.

Councilman Randy Spence asked about progress in implementing new water meters that transmit their readings to a computer at the Village Building.

He said he’d heard some aren’t providing readings and asked when the water department will switch to the new software purchased for billing customers.

About $985,000 in state and local funds have been used to acquire and install about 1,900 meters.

They are intended to reduce labor required for manual readings by village crews while providing more accurate readings and allowing residents to pay their water bills online if they wish.

Village Administrator Jesse Kosegi said he’s been working to correct the problem and on one night was able to cut 120 dormant meters down to 63 but he confirmed there still are about 500 meters that aren’t providing correct readings.

Spence and fellow council member Carmen DeStefano suggested a meeting be held with the vendors and office staff to discuss the problems, and a meeting of council’s water-sewer board was called for 6 p.m. Thursday.

It will be followed by council’s next regular meeting at 7 p.m.

Also on Tuesday, Mayor Mike Petrella thanked the village’s road crews and others involved in plowing snow from streets on Dec. 30 and stated he believes they have been unfairly criticized on social media.

He said instead of lobbing insults at the crews online, they should contact him or Kosegi with their complaints or concerns.

“Let’s lay off our employees, who are doing the best they can with what they’ve got,” said Petrella.

He said crews won’t apply salt to the roads when they soon will be covered by more snow.

Councilman Jason Mattern said timing was a big impediment for the street crews, who had difficulty keeping up with the amount of snow that fell in a short amount of time.

Limited mostly to some areas of Jefferson and Brooke counties, the snowfall was heavier than predicted and was attributed later by the National Weather Service to a narrow weather pattern originating from Lake Michigan.

Mattern said there is room for improvement.

“We just have to fine tune the game. That’s it. It’s not bad, but it could be improved,” he said.

Mattern added some residents made the crews’ task more difficult by leaving their vehicles parked in streets.

Petrella said often the vehicles block the paths of plow trucks.

He said anyone who doesn’t have somewhere else to park can seek a snow parking permit from the village.

It was noted that without one, individuals may be fined.

Councilwoman Pennie Scarpone, who was part of the road clearing effort, said crews had worked well over an 8-hour shift and questioned if more help is needed.

Kosegi said a couple of people with commercial driver’s licenses have expressed interest in assisting the village, and he’s looking into whether they can be employed on an emergency basis.

In other business, Petrella said Kosegi has interviewed a candidate for the position of fiscal officer. He said he expects to present the person for council’s approval in the near future.

Council has agreed to change the position to a full-time one in hopes of filling it on a long-term basis.

In recent months, Melanie Smith, a visiting auditor with the state, has been working with the village in recent months.