Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facility Security topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council approves moving forward with automated locks and updated key system for city hall
Summary
Council approved forwarding contracts to convert city hall doors to a live electronic lock system and to replace the building key core with a restricted-key system to improve security and traceability.
City council workshop — Council heard a presentation and approved motions to advance contracting for an automated electronic locking system at city hall and a separate contract to convert the building keyway to a restricted best-key system.
Facilities and building staff told the council the electronic locks would "make the building more secure and easier to navigate," reduce the number of unknown physical keys in circulation and allow tailored access by key fob, phone or card. "It'll also take a lot of keys that we don't know that are out there," one staff member said. Staff said the same vendor is supplying systems for parks facilities and the city plans to phase other municipal buildings onto the same platform.
Council approved two workshop motions to move both contracts to the governing council for formal award. One motion to advance the electronic-lock contract was made by a councilmember and seconded; the presiding officer called the ayes and recorded the motion as passed. A separate motion to advance the keyway lock core contract — which staff described as a distinct procurement because it is with a different company and will convert the building to a restricted key system that cannot be duplicated at retail hardware stores — was also moved and passed.
Staff described features and operational benefits: customizable fobs that can be deactivated individually, live system logging to trace entries, the ability to lock doors in a panic situation and options for phone-based access. "We can so each fob can be customized per person. So they don't have not 1 fob gets you everywhere," a staff member said. Staff also said the system will permit immediate deactivation of an individual's credential if an employee leaves.
The workshop record notes capital-improvement sales-tax funds have been earmarked for building improvements and that staff found a statewide bid that could be used for purchasing the system. The record does not include contract amounts, vendor names for the electronic locks, or a schedule for full installation at other municipal buildings; these details will be part of the formal procurement and award process at the governing council meeting.
