3 Lafayette Councilmen Propose “Opt Out” Provision For Smart Meters

Three Lafayette Councilman, Jared Bellard, Andy Naquin and William Theriot will be introducing an ordinance tonight that would allow Lafayette Utilities System customers to "opt out" of having a smart meter attached to their homes.

Previously the nine member council and the five member Lafayette Parish Utilities Authority could not come to agreement on the "opt out" provision; therefore the measure failed passage by the council.

Now three councilman have brought the issue up again for tonight's council meeting as an introductory item.  Tomorrow on "Mornings With Ken and Bernie" Coucnilman William Theriot will join us to briefly talk about why constituents contacted him to try the ordinance again.  Theriot say callers have contacted him requesting that they be given the chance to have the ordinance come up again to allow them to "opt out".

Some people have raised questions about security, government control, health and other issues in relation to the smart meters.  The meters will allow LUS to be able to monitor utility usage remotely.  Truck would be able to basically drive through a neighborhood to collect the data about usage.