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The Town of Charlotte Court House plans to use $89,000 in CARES funding to upgrade to touchless water meters.

The new meters can be read without the meter reader ever leaving their vehicle. Each of the meters has a small radio transmitter powered by a battery that is connected to the water meter by a cable. The meter transmits the reading from the meter to a receiver in the meter reader’s vehicle as it is driven through the neighborhood.

According to town officials, they are following the lead of the Towns of Keysville and Phenix, who are also moving to touchless meters.

The decision came as part of a public hearing where no citizens spoke about the issue. The hearing amended the town’s 2020-2021 budget for local allocation of $89,000 in CARES Relief (Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Funds.)

In July, the Town of Charlotte Court House received $44,000 in CARES funding and have used those funds to make changes to the municipal building, including ventilation upgrades, plexiglass dividers in the conference room, installing a separate bathroom for the clerk’s office and assisting the volunteer fire department with requested purchases.

The county received $1 million in CARES funding in May, with a second million-dollar round awarded months later.

Of the $2 million in funding the county received, the board of supervisors voted to give the Towns of Charlotte Court House, Keysville, Drakes Branch, and Phenix an allotted distribution.

Funds that the towns receive are designed to provide funding to address unforeseen financial needs and risks created by the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Funds must be used before the end of the year or returned to the state. There are strict guidelines as to what the funds may be used for.