Community Media Committee approves $19,075 annual AV service-plan to present to mayor

The Community Media Committee voted Aug. 11 to advance a capital budget request that presents a full audio-and-video technology-as-a-service (TaaS) option to the mayor, showing a cost of $19,075 per year over five years.

Committee Chair Theresa called for discussion of the one capital item the group had held open at the previous meeting: audiovisual equipment at the library. Staff member Will said the proposal offers a standard performance plan and an upgraded “VIP” performance plan; Will said the VIP plan provides next-day on-site response and service labor and that the full TaaS package would be the option he would show to the mayor. “If I was gonna go to the mayor, I would show her the higher number so that she’s prepared,” Will said, describing the more comprehensive plan at $19,075 per year over five years.

Committee members debated the need for immediate replacement versus longer-term planning. Bill Graff and others supported presenting the higher figure to city administration to ensure the mayor and council are aware of the size of the future investment. “I think you’ve made a convincing case for putting this in front of the city administration and the mayor,” Graff said.

Members also flagged operational issues the equipment would not solve. Graff told the group that poor microphone use by meeting participants — not equipment quality — often causes intelligibility problems in recordings and livestreams. “We can spend 180,000 or 800,000 on the best equipment in the world. And if people don’t speak into their dang microphones, it’s not gonna work,” he said. Committee members suggested simple user-focused remedies such as reminder cards on nameplates or stickers by microphones to improve “microphone hygiene.”

Will clarified that the vendor quote discussed in committee did not include replacement microphones; microphones would add to the total cost if the committee decided to include them in a future proposal. Committee members discussed doing a phased approach if the mayor and council do not fund a full replacement in a single year.

Motion and vote: Anita moved to approve presenting the expenditure as described by staff; Bill Graff seconded. Chair Theresa called the vote; all present voted in favor and the motion passed. There was no roll-call tally recorded in the meeting minutes beyond the unanimous voice vote.

The committee directed staff to present the higher-cost TaaS option to the mayor for consideration and to clarify for the mayor and council which items (for example, microphones) are not covered by the presented quote. The capital approval at the committee level is a step toward placing the request before city administration and the mayor; committee members noted it does not guarantee funding will be included in the city budget for 2026.

The committee moved on to the first read of the operating budget after the vote and scheduled follow-up items related to studio equipment and operational needs for future meetings.