Recently Naperville made 267 proactive repairs to installed smart meters. Naperville city officials said that this type of thing is going to happen. And when it does happen, it’s not the fault of the smart meter itself, it’s because of loose connections and corrosion in customer-owned meter bases. So Naperville city officials are saying it’s the customer’s fault. It’s not the fault of the city. No, that can’t happen that the city of Naperville could be at fault. City officials including city manager Doug Krieger, supported by the city council, said it’s true so it must be true..right?
City officials have no idea why residents would be skeptical. Residents should be happy these so-called smart meters were forcefully slapped on homes and and businesses in Naperville in a very nefarious manner. Is it any wonder why Naperville residents and business owners have intense distrust for city officials. There is absolutely no amount of evidence that could be presented to Naperville city officials that would cause them even the slightest doubt to consider they made a huge mistake.
The Smart Meter project was spear-headed by city manager Doug Krieger, and council members Grant Wehrli and Bob Fieseler. In nearly every step of the ill-conceived process Naperville city officials made decisions that have been and will be detrimental to the residents and business owners of Naperville. So now the city has no choice other than to blame house fires on residents and business owners. The same thing will happen when security is breached, health issues arise, privacy is compromised, and electric rates soar. Blame it on the people.
Can anyone remember the last time a city official apologized for a blunder, let alone a huge error in judgment? Can anyone remember the last time a Naperville city official stood tall and accepted responsibility and accountability for causing inconvenience and grief to the good folks of Naperville. No, it’s much easier to simply blame it on the good folks of Naperville.
A lot happens within the inky shadows that Naperville city officials roam. Much of what is said and done is not good. And one thing we’ve yet to hear from a Naperville city official is an apology about anything.
Blame it on the homeowner.
I wondered when someone would dispute the point that the Naperville City Utility was being Pro-Active. The City is covering up what was a mistake in the first place–the decision to install smart meters. And, before the full deployment, members of the City Council and City Staff were informed of the dangers from fires. There were over 400 fires reported in New Zealand in 2010 from smart meters and 900 have been reported in the United States in front of a Public Utility Commission by a lawyer formerly with the EPA. There have been enough fires in Canada that citizens are collecting data and keeping track of the numbers. Smart meters have been known to arc, spark and explode. Being pro-active on or after installation when the smart meter itself is prone to ignite makes little sense. A quote from the President of an Electrical Union, “The smart meter burned up the side of a customer’s house and (Utility name) blamed the customer’s wiring.” Utilities consistently pass the blame on to the homeowner.