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Mamakating board tables $60,000 community-room acoustic retrofit after members push for cheaper tests
Summary
After lengthy debate and public comments about poor sound and public access, the Town Board tabled a proposed $60,000 acoustic ceiling and AV overhaul and agreed to trial temporary PA solutions and gather more cost and usage data before a final decision.
The Mamakating Town Board on Wednesday postponed a contractor proposal to install acoustic ceiling panels and upgraded amplification in the town community room, after several board members and residents questioned whether the roughly $60,000 estimate would deliver guaranteed results.
Supervisor Peter Goodman presented a vendor’s assessment describing extensive ceiling-mounted acoustic panels and an upgraded amp and speakers to reduce the room’s echo and improve intelligibility for meetings and public events. The vendor’s combined proposal was described in the meeting as “about $60,000.”
Board members raised alternatives. One member said, “60,000 is a lot of money,” and urged experimenting with higher-powered speakers, wireless clip-on microphones or borrowed PA gear before committing to permanent ceiling work. Staff noted the state-bid procurement route and suggested the board could consider leases or piecemeal upgrades, but also cautioned that the particular room’s tall ceiling and construction make in-house fixes difficult.
Multiple residents and volunteers urged action on accessibility and public access grounds. A public commenter said the room serves seniors and civic groups and that poor sound undercuts the town’s obligation to provide meaningful public access. The board’s AV technician, Britney, commented that the current studio speakers are not optimal for the room’s configuration and supported testing improved placement and equipment.
Rather than approve the full retrofit, the board voted to table the contractor installation and directed staff to bring short-term testing options to the next meeting, including borrowing or temporarily installing higher-powered speakers and testing wireless microphones. Members asked staff to collect usage data and explore lower-cost fixes (for example, targeted speaker placement, improved mixer channels, or interim PA borrowing) and to pursue grants or longer-term professional options if tests show the need for a larger retrofit.
Next steps: the board will trial temporary PA equipment at one or more upcoming meetings, collect data on usage and performance, and return with revised cost comparisons and any vendor itemized quotes before deciding whether to approve a full acoustic ceiling installation.
