Willard public‑safety staff and a vendor presented an overview of a license‑plate‑reading and area‑monitoring camera system (Flock) and answered board questions about cost options, camera counts and funding. Staff said the vendor offered a deferred payment option for the first year and that the state’s Blue Shield program could contribute up to $50,000 for the initial year, making the first‑year cost nominal if the Blue Shield allocation is applied.

During the presentation, staff described the Flock system as a “force multiplier” used in neighboring municipalities and noted that a regional network exists in southwest Missouri. The vendor and staff discussed possible camera deployments, options for minimum camera counts (10–13 cameras cited), and information‑sharing benefits for broader regional law enforcement collaboration. Staff emphasized that the system provides aggregated movement data—“not the people,” as one presenter said—and that it can also be coupled with economic‑development applications (for example, non‑person movement analytics that can support downtown planning).

A police chief asked whether the vendor’s deferred‑payment offer (to defer charges until Jan. 1) remained on the table; the vendor representative confirmed the option was available at the time of the meeting. Staff said the first‑year Blue Shield designation could absorb the cost for the initial year; future year funding would be evaluated based on performance and results.

Board members asked for a clear cost breakdown (staff noted an initial figure of roughly $58,000 per year and two alternate packages depending on camera count) and asked for time to review the vendor’s slide showing the existing regional network. Staff said they would return with the vendor’s pricing breakdown and the differing camera‑count options for alder review before any contract decision.

No formal contract vote was taken at the meeting; staff described the first year as low‑risk because of the potential Blue Shield funding and the vendor’s deferred payment option and said they would present detailed cost and camera‑count choices at a future meeting.