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Wildwood committee backs dedicated communications platform, citing records and privacy benefits
Summary
The Administration & Public Works Committee recommended pursuing a dedicated communications platform (VoIP/SMS via Zoom or similar) tied to issued city devices; staff estimated about $4,488 per year for 17 lines and said the service would simplify record retention and protect council members' personal numbers.
The Administration & Public Works Committee voted to advance consideration of a dedicated communications platform for elected officials, which would give each council member a VoIP phone number and SMS capability through an app (staff discussed a Zoom‑based option).
City Administrator Lee said the system would allow members to use either city‑issued Lenovo tablets or their personal devices through the app while preventing personal phone numbers from being exposed. He provided a base cost estimate of approximately $4,488 per year for 17 users — roughly $22 per user per month — and noted there are additional FCC fees of a few hundred dollars annually. "For record‑retention purposes, instead of having to track down a council member … it cleans that system up a lot," he said.
Council members who spoke in favor highlighted privacy and legal‑discovery benefits. Phil Owen (participating by Zoom) said having a dedicated city device or line would make compliance with record‑requests easier and would limit intrusion on personal time. The committee voted to forward the recommendation and to solicit proposals; staff will bring draft legislation and onboarding plans to the council work session.
