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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 11-K
     
þ   ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15-(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2006
OR
     
o   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 15-(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the transition period from                     to                     
Commission file number 1-6706
A.   Full title of the Plan and the address of the Plan, if different from that of the issuer named below:
Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
B.   Name of issuer of the securities held pursuant to the plan and the address of its principal executive office:
Badger Meter, Inc.
4545 W. Brown Deer Road
Milwaukee, WI 53223
 
 

 


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REQUIRED INFORMATION
The Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan (the Plan) is subject to the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Attached hereto is a copy of the most recent financial statements and schedules of the Plan prepared in accordance with the financial reporting requirements of ERISA.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Financial Statements and Additional Information
December 31, 2006 and 2005
Table of Contents
         
    4  
 
       
Financial Statements
       
    5  
    6  
    7  
 
       
       
    19  
    20  
 Consent of Wipfli LLP

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(WIPFLI LLP LOGO)
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Employee Benefit Plans Committee of the Board of Directors of Badger Meter, Inc.
Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
We have audited the accompanying statements of net assets available for benefits of Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the related statement of changes in net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 2006. These financial statements are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements based on our audits.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audits to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements are free of material misstatement. We were not engaged to perform an audit of the Plan’s internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Plan’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
In our opinion, the financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the net assets available for benefits of the Plan as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, and the changes in its net assets available for benefits for the year ended December 31, 2006 in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Our audits were performed for the purpose of forming an opinion on the basic financial statements taken as a whole. The supplemental schedules of assets (held at end of year) as of December 31, 2006 and reportable transactions for the year ended December 31, 2006 are presented for the purpose of additional analysis and are not a required part of the basic financial statements but are supplementary information required by the Department of Labor’s Rules and Regulations for Reporting and Disclosure under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. The supplemental schedules are the responsibility of the Plan’s management. The supplemental schedules have been subjected to the auditing procedures applied in the audits of the basic financial statements and, in our opinion, are fairly stated in all material respects in relation to the basic financial statements taken as a whole.
/s/ Wipfli LLP
June 6, 2007
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Statements of Net Assets Available for Benefits
December 31, 2006 and 2005
                 
    2006   2005
 
Cash
  $ 403,244     $ 422,877  
 
               
Investments, at fair value
    70,108,231       58,837,174  
 
               
Receivables:
               
Company contributions
    61,371       120,311  
Employee deferrals
    83,949       0  
Interest
    13,579       18,140  
Dividend
    0       13,668  
 
 
               
Total receivables
    158,899       152,119  
 
 
               
Total assets
    70,670,374       59,412,170  
 
 
               
Liabilities:
               
Notes payable
    743,405       915,000  
Pending trades
    100,935       0  
 
 
               
Total liabilities
    844,340       915,000  
 
 
               
Net assets available for benefits
  $ 69,826,034     $ 58,497,170  
 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Statement of Changes in Net Assets Available for Benefits
Year Ended December 31, 2006
         
    2006
 
Additions:
       
Investment income:
       
Net appreciation in fair value of investments
  $ 12,129,554  
Interest and dividends
    1,009,986  
 
 
       
Total investment income
    13,139,540  
 
 
       
Contributions:
       
Company
    112,966  
Roll over
    55  
Participants
    2,884,271  
 
 
       
Total contributions
    2,997,292  
 
 
       
Total additions
    16,136,832  
 
 
       
Deductions:
       
Benefits paid to participants
    4,752,808  
Interest expense
    52,907  
Loan fees
    2,253  
 
 
       
Total deductions
    4,807,968  
 
 
       
Net increase
    11,328,864  
 
 
       
Net assets available for benefits:
       
Balance at beginning of year
    58,497,170  
 
 
       
Balance at end of year
  $ 69,826,034  
 

See accompanying notes to financial statements.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 1   Description of the Plan
 
    General
 
    The following description of Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan (“the Plan”) is for general information purposes only. Participants should refer to the plan agreement for a more complete description of the Plan. The Plan is a defined-contribution plan adopted under Section 401(k) of the Internal Revenue Code (the “Code”). The Plan was established as of January 1, 1991, to consolidate the Badger Meter Savings Plan, the Badger Meter Payroll-Based Employee Stock Ownership Plan, and the Badger Meter Employee Stock Ownership Plan into a single plan.
 
    Substantially all domestic employees of Badger Meter, Inc. (“the Company”) are eligible to participate in the Plan. The Plan is subject to the provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”).
 
    Contributions
 
    Participant contributions may be made up to a maximum of 20% of their compensation on a pretax basis, not to exceed the amount allowed by the Code. Company contributions are made at a rate of 25% of the participant contributions, with the Company contribution percentage applying to a maximum of 7% of the participant’s compensation for the year. The Company may also contribute additional amounts over and above the required contribution at the discretion of the Company’s Board of Directors. No such contributions were made in 2006.
 
    Participant contributions are directed into various investment options (currently totaling nine) at the participant’s discretion. Company contributions are made in cash and are used by the Plan to repay principal and interest on the note payable (see Note 5). As principal and interest payments are made on the note payable, unallocated shares of Badger Meter, Inc. common stock, which serve as collateral for the note payable, are released to Plan participants and provide the Company matching contribution at current market values. Participant contributions may be temporarily invested in a money market common trust fund before being invested in the aforementioned investments.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 1   Description of the Plan (Continued)
 
    Contributions (Continued)
 
    All participant contributions are excluded from the participant’s current wages for federal income tax purposes.
 
    Participant Accounts
 
    Each participant’s account is credited with the participant’s contributions, the Company’s matching contribution, an allocation of the Company’s discretionary contribution, if any, and Plan earnings. The Company’s discretionary contribution (excluding the matching contribution) is allocated equally to all participants. Plan earnings are allocated based on the participant’s account balances in relation to total participant account balances. The benefit to which a participant is entitled is the benefit that can be provided from the participant’s account. There were no discretionary contributions during 2006.
 
    Vesting
 
    Participants are fully vested in all amounts in their accounts.
 
    Payment of Benefits
 
    Upon retirement, death, disability, or termination of employment, the participant’s account shall generally be distributed in a single lump sum at the participant’s option. Final distributions will be made either in shares of Company common stock plus cash in lieu of fractional shares or entirely in cash.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 1   Description of the Plan (Continued)
 
    Withdrawals
 
    A participant’s contribution may not be withdrawn prior to retirement, death, disability, termination of employment, or termination of the Plan, except for financial hardship, a one-time distribution after age 591/2, or in the form of loans to participants. The Plan defines financial hardship as expenses related to college education, uninsured major medical expense, purchase of the participant’s principal residence, or other financial need that cannot be met from other resources of the participant. All withdrawals are subject to approval by the Plan Administrator.
 
    Loans to Participants
 
    Participants are allowed to borrow from their separate account balance. The amount of a loan shall not be less than $1,000 or more than $50,000 and shall not exceed 50% of the participant’s account balance.
 
    Loan maturities cannot exceed 60 months and are secured by the participants’ vested interests in the Plan. Amounts loaned to a participant do not share in the allocations of Plan earnings (see Participant’s Accounts above), but are credited with the interest earned on the loan balance payable by the participant charged at a reasonable rate as determined by the Plan Administrator.
 
Note 2   Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
 
    Basis of Accounting
 
    The accompanying financial statements are prepared using the accrual basis of accounting in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The financial statements are based on information provided to the Company and certified as complete and accurate by its Custodian, Marshall and Ilsley Trust Company N.A. Certain adjustments have been made to the financial statements provided by the Custodian in order for them to conform to the accrual basis of accounting.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 2   Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
 
    Investment Valuation
 
    The investment in the guaranteed income group annuity insurance contract is valued at contract value as reported by Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (“Mass Mutual”). Contract value represents contributions made under the contract, plus interest at the contract rate, less funds used to pay benefits and the insurance company’s administrative expenses. The Mass Mutual contract is a “fully benefit-responsive” investment contract. This contract is stated at fair value as reported by the insurance company, which approximates its contract value as of December 31, 2006 and December 31, 2005. Crediting interest rates are adjusted annually on January 1.
 
    The investments in mutual funds are valued at the redemption price established by the fund’s trustee based upon the quoted prices of the underlying assets.
 
    Units of common trust funds are valued at the quoted redemption price.
 
    The investment in Badger Meter, Inc. common stock, which is traded on the American Stock Exchange, is valued at the last reported sales price on the last business day of the Plan year.
 
    The money market fund is valued at fair value based on quoted market or redemption price on the last business day of the Plan year.
 
    Loans receivable from participants are reported at their unpaid principal balance, which approximates fair value.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
Note 2   Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Continued)
 
    Use of Estimates in Preparation of Financial Statements
 
    The preparation of the accompanying financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, requires the administrators to make estimates and assumptions that directly affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. Actual results may differ from these estimates.
 
    Expenses
 
    Expenses related to the administration of the Plan are paid by the Company. Investment expenses are payable by the Plan and reimbursed by the Company at its discretion.
 
    Payment of Benefits
 
    Benefits are recorded when paid.
 
    Risk and Uncertainties
 
    The Plan’s investments are exposed to various risks, such as interest rate, market and credit risks. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investments and the level of uncertainty related to changes in the values of investments, it is at least reasonably possible that changes in risks in the near term would materially affect participants’ account balances and the amounts reported in the statements of net assets available for benefits and the statement of changes in net assets available for benefits.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
     
Note 3
  Investments
 
   
 
  Guaranteed Income Group Annuity Contract No. IG 4178
 
   
 
  This contract is an unallocated insurance contract with Mass Mutual, which is credited at least annually for interest earned. Interest rates for 2006 and 2005 were 3.3% — 4.15% and 3.75%, respectively. Mass Mutual determines the annual guaranteed interest rate each January 1. The average yields for 2006 and 2005 were 3.83% and 3.75%, respectively.
 
   
 
  The insurance contract is subject to certain restrictions that may affect the plan’s ability to fully realize the insurance contract’s value under certain conditions.
 
   
 
  Badger Meter, Inc. Common Stock
 
   
 
  The Plan’s investment in Badger Meter, Inc. stock consists of 1,061,871 shares and 1,177,022 (restated for the June 1, 2006 two-for-one stock split) shares as of December 31, 2006 and 2005, respectively. At December 31, 2006 and 2005, the fair value of the Plan’s investment in Badger Meter, Inc. common stock, as determined by quoted market price, was $29,413,827 and $23,093,172, respectively.
 
   
 
  During 2006, the Plan’s investments (including investments purchased, sold, as well as held during
the year) appreciated in fair value as follows:
         
    2006
 
Badger Meter, Inc. common stock
  $ 9,130,820  
Common trust funds
    1,235,201  
Mutual funds
    1,763,533  
 
 
       
Net appreciation in fair value of investments
  $ 12,129,554  
 

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
     
Note 3
  Investments (Continued)
 
   
 
  Investments that represent 5% or more of fair value of the Plan’s net assets are as
follows:
         
    December 31,
    2006
 
Badger Meter, Inc. common stock
  $ 29,413,827  
M&I Growth Balanced Portfolio
    4,616,705  
M&I Diversified Stock Portfolio
    5,840,801  
Massachusetts Mutual Unallocated Insurance Contract
    13,613,116  
Heartland Value Plus Fund
    4,366,372  
 
 
       
Total
  $ 57,850,821  
 
     
Note 4
  Allocated and Unallocated Net Assets Available For Benefits
 
   
 
  Information about net assets available for benefits as of December 31, 2006 and 2005 and the significant components of changes in net assets available for benefits during 2006 related to allocated and unallocated net assets is as follows:
                 
    2006   2005
 
Cash (allocated)
  $ 301,624     $ 320,864  
Cash (unallocated)
    101,620       102,013  
 
               
Investments, at fair value:
               
Badger Meter, Inc. common stock (allocated)
    25,130,354       19,601,204  
Badger Meter, Inc. common stock (unallocated)
    4,283,473       3,491,968  
Investments (allocated)
    40,694,404       35,744,002  
 
               
Receivables:
               
Company (unallocated)
    61,371       120,311  
Employee (allocated)
    83,949       0  
Interest (allocated)
    13,579       18,140  
Dividend (unallocated)
    0       13,668  
 
               
Note payable (unallocated)
    (743,405 )     (915,000 )
Pending Trades (allocated)
    (100,935 )     0  
 
 
               
Total
  $ 69,826,034     $ 58,497,170  
 
 
               
Net Assets – Allocated
  $ 66,122,975     $ 55,684,210  
Net Assets – Unallocated
  $ 3,703,059     $ 2,812,960  
 

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
     
Note 4
  Allocated and Unallocated Net Assets Available For Benefits (Continued)
                         
    2006
    Unallocated   Allocated   Total
 
Change in net assets:
                       
Net appreciation in fair value of investments
  $ 1,249,475     $ 10,880,079     $ 12,129,554  
Allocation of shares
    (458,281 )     458,281       0  
Interest and dividends
    112,709       897,277       1,009,986  
Other
    (73,298 )     73,298       0  
Contributions:
                       
Company
    112,966       0       112,966  
Roll over
    0       55       55  
Participants
    0       2,884,271       2,884,271  
Benefits paid to participants
    0       (4,752,808 )     (4,752,808 )
Interest expense
    (52,907 )     0       (52,907 )
Loan fees
    (103 )     (2,150 )     (2,253 )
 
 
                       
Total
  $ 890,561     $ 10,438,303     $ 11,328,864  
 
 
All participants have the ability to direct the investments within their accounts. Accordingly, all allocated investments are fully participant directed.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
     
Note 5
  Note Payable
 
   
 
  At December 31, 2006, the outstanding balance on the loan is $743,405. The terms of the loan allow variable payments of principal with the final principal and interest payment due April 30, 2008. Interest is payable at the prime interest rate (effective rate of 8.25% at December 31, 2006) or at the LIBOR rate plus 1.50% (effective rate of 6.83% at December 31, 2006). At December 31, 2006, the Plan has exercised its option to designate the outstanding balance as a LIBOR rate loan. The note payable is secured by the unallocated shares of Badger Meter, Inc. common stock held by the Plan (see summary below). In addition, the Company has guaranteed the note payable and is obligated to contribute sufficient cash to the Plan to enable it to repay the loan principal and interest in the event the Plan is unable to settle its obligation.
 
   
 
  The pledged unallocated shares of Badger Meter, Inc. common stock are released as principal and interest payments are made on the note payable. The shares released, less any shares that are distributed as benefit payments, are considered available and are allocated to the participants’ accounts just prior to each annual principal due date on the note payable.
 
   
 
  The note agreement contains certain restrictions and covenants, including a limitation on additional borrowings.
 
   
 
  The Company contributions are used to make principal and interest payments on the note payable. The Plan will release unallocated shares with a value in excess of the principal payments made due to appreciation of the Company’s stock.
 
   
 
  As of December 31, 2005, $915,000 was due under the note payable.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
     
Note 5
  Note Payable (Continued)
 
   
 
  At December 31, 2006 and 2005, the breakdown between allocated and unallocated shares was as follows:
                         
    2006
    Shares        
    Available for        
    Benefits   Cost   Fair Value
 
Allocated
    907,233     $ 5,010,803     $ 25,130,354  
Unallocated
    154,638       794,994       4,283,473  
 
 
                       
Total
    1,061,871     $ 5,805,797     $ 29,413,827  
 
 
                       
Per share
                  $ 27.70  
 
                         
    2005
    Shares        
    Available for        
    Benefits*   Cost   Fair Value
 
Allocated
    999,042     $ 5,641,366     $ 19,601,204  
Unallocated
    177,980       914,995       3,491,968  
 
 
                       
Total
    1,177,022     $ 6,556,361     $ 23,093,172  
 
 
                       
Per share
                  $ 19.62 *
 
*   Adjusted for the June 1, 2006 two-for-one stock split

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Notes to Financial Statements
     
Note 6
  Plan Termination
 
   
 
  Although it has not expressed any intent to do so, the Company has the right to discontinue its contributions at any time and to terminate the Plan subject to the provisions of ERISA.
 
   
Note 7
  Income Tax Status
 
   
 
  The Plan has received a determination letter from the Internal Revenue Service dated August 3, 1995, stating that the Plan is qualified under Section 401(a) and 401(k) of the Code and, therefore, the related trust is exempt from taxation. Subsequent to the issuance of the determination letter, the Plan was amended. A new determination letter has been requested in 2002 but not yet received. Once qualified, the Plan is required to operate in conformity with the Code to maintain its qualification. The Plan Administrator believes the Plan is being operated in compliance with the applicable requirements of the Code and, therefore, believes that the Plan is qualified and the related trust is tax-exempt.
 
   
Note 8
  Subsequent Distribution
 
   
 
  During 2006, participants requested lump-sum distributions for approximately $322,000, which was paid in 2007.
 
   
Note 9
  Related Party Transactions
 
   
 
  During 2006, the Plan received $340,245, in common stock dividends from the Company.
 
   
Note 10
  Voting Rights
 
   
 
  Each participant is entitled to exercise voting rights attributable to the shares allocated to his or her account. Unallocated shares are voted on by the Plan’s administrative committee on behalf of the collective best interest of plan participants and beneficiaries.

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Additional Information

 


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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Schedule H Item 4i — Schedule of Assets (Held at End of Year)
EIN: 39-0143280 Plan Number: 009
December 31, 2006
                     
    Description of        
Identity of Issue   Investment   Cost   Current Value
 
Badger Meter, Inc. Common Stock *
  1,061,871 shares   $ 5,805,797     $ 29,413,827  
 
                   
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance
                   
Company Insurance Contract
        **       13,613,116  
Heartland Value Plus Fund
  163,046 shares     **       4,366,372  
Marshall Government Income Fund *
  185,392 shares     **       1,757,517  
Marshall International Stock Fund *
  163,757 shares     **       2,639,758  
M&I Growth Balanced Portfolio *
  160,140 shares     **       4,616,705  
M&I Diversified Stock Portfolio *
  164,881 shares     **       5,840,801  
Fidelity Advisor Mid Cap Fund
  95,207 shares     **       2,372,566  
Managers Special Equity Fund
  13,793 shares     **       1,144,274  
Goldman Sachs Small Cap Value
  21,580 shares     **       951,893  
Davis N Y Venture Fund
  59,290 shares     **       2,283,863  
Participant loans
  Interest rates ranging between 4.0% and 9.5% with various maturity dates   $ 0       1,107,539  
 
 
                   
Total Assets (Held at End of Year)
              $ 70,108,231  
 
*   Party-in-interest.
 
**   Cost information not required for participant-directed investments.
See report of independent registered public accounting firm.

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Badger Meter Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
Schedule H Item 4j — Schedule of Reportable Transactions
EIN: 39-0143280 Plan Number: 009
Year Ended December 31, 2006
                                         
                            Current Value of    
    Description of                   Cost of   Asset on Transaction   Net Gain or
Identity of Issue   Asset   Purchase Price   Selling Price   Asset   Date   (Loss)
 
Category (iii) — Series of security transactions in excess of 5% of plan assets:
 
                                       
Badger Meter, Inc.
  Common Stock     N/A     $ 4,788,902   $ 1,840,408   $ 4,788,902     $ 2,948,494  
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co.
  Guaranteed Income Contract   $ 5,561,241       N/A   $ 5,561,241   $ 5,561,241       N/A  
Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co.
  Guaranteed Income Contract     N/A     $ 4,180,946   $ 4,180,536   $ 4,180,946     $ 410  
 
There were no category (i), (ii) or (iv) reportable transactions for the year ended December 31, 2006.
See report of independent registered public accounting firm.

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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the trustees (or other persons who administer the Plan) have duly caused this annual report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
             
 
      Badger Meter
Employee Savings and Stock Ownership Plan
   
 
           
Date: June 6, 2007
  By:   /s/ Richard A. Meeusen    
 
           
 
      Richard A. Meeusen    
 
      Trustee    
 
           
 
  By:   /s/ Ronald H. Dix    
 
           
 
      Ronald H. Dix    
 
      Trustee    

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EXHIBIT INDEX
     
EXHIBIT NO.   DESCRIPTION
 
   
23
  Consent of Wipfli LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

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