Bartow Electric System Inventory Starts Nov. 9 as Osmose Crews Map 13,400 Poles and 13,600 Meters in $486,174 Project
How many utility poles are there in Bartow? Why do some transformers carry the wrong identification numbers? Why are some meters tied to the wrong transformers?
The reason given for these and other questions is that the records of the city’s electric utility system, which were built years ago and maintained by hand, had drifted apart over time.
That is according to Brent Foockle, assistant director of engineering and planning for Bartow Electric Utility, in his presentation to city commissioners at the Nov. 2 regular meeting. He announced the department had contracted with Osmose Utilities Services Inc., which has done work for the city in the past. He then outlined the scope of work needed to accurately update the database.
“What they’re going to do is perform an asset inventory of all electric facilities inside of the service territory,” Foockle said. It will serve as the foundation for all of the electric department’s and the city’s future systems. “Each one of those gets a GPS location and an asset tag, which ties back into our current GIS system.”
Work will commence Nov. 9 under a pilot program that will incorporate the neighborhood that includes Stuart Avenue, Crown Avenue and Polk Street, crosses State Road 60 and runs down to County Road 555. That area was selected because it encompasses a variety of assets grouped in one area, Foockle said.
The pilot program is projected to take approximately three weeks to complete. From there, full production will start either just before or immediately following Christmas Day.
“We’re hoping to be completed late May,” he said. If not by then, he added, a “hard” date would be August 2027.
City commissioners had no questions.
Steve Steiner can be reached at [email protected].
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Frequently Asked Questions
What systems will the inventory support?
The work lays the groundwork for advanced metering, asset management, outage management, and system planning.
How many assets will be inventoried?
The city estimates about 13,400 poles, 2,200 overhead transformers, 1,400 pad-mounted transformers, 5,300 street and yard lights and 13,600 customer meters.
How was Osmose Utilities Services selected?
The company was selected through RFP 26-19. An RFP, or request for proposal, is a detailed specification of the goods or services an organization needs that is sent to potential contractors or suppliers. Osmose has also worked with the City of Bartow in the past on similar or related projects.
How will property owners and businesses know?
Advance notification letters and other notices will be distributed to tell property owners about the work. In the field, Osmose Utilities Services workers will be clearly identified by uniforms, identification badges, vehicles, and equipment.
What is the projected cost?
The contract has an estimated value of $486,174.40, paid on a unit-price basis for assets actually inventoried, verified, and approved by Electric Utility staff. Ten percent will be retained and held until final acceptance. It is funded through the Electric Utility budget.
Sources: City of Bartow City Commission regular meeting, Nov. 2, 2026, agenda Item No. 4.e, Osmose Electric System Inventory fact sheet, customer notification letter and presentation; Bartow City Commission meeting transcript, Nov. 2, 2026; Steve Steiner reporting at the Nov. 2, 2026, meeting
