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South Hill council approves $196,599 for Town Hall audio-visual upgrades to restore livestreaming
Summary
The South Hill Town Council approved two vendor proposals totaling $196,599 to refresh Town Hall data infrastructure and install Council Chambers audio-visual equipment so meetings can be reliably livestreamed and recorded; funding is available in the FY26 budget.
The South Hill Town Council voted unanimously on Jan. 12, 2026, to approve two vendor proposals totaling $196,599 to upgrade the Town Hall's data infrastructure and install public meeting room audio-visual equipment to enable reliable livestreaming and recording of council meetings.
Town Manager Keli Reekes told the council staff had worked with a contracted IT vendor to evaluate the existing system and had received proposals from Nexus Network Technologies for $29,461 to refresh the data infrastructure and from Smarter Systems for $167,138 to install Council Chambers A/V equipment. Reekes said the upgrades are intended to reconfigure the current system, update aging equipment to contemporary standards, and ensure the system can be managed and maintained by trained staff. Funding for both proposals is available in the FY26 budget.
Council members asked about the age and condition of existing cabling, whether the new equipment would require additional staff to operate during meetings, and the expected lifespan and warranties for the proposed systems. Some members expressed concern that livestreaming could discourage in-person attendance; Reekes noted the upgrades aim to support accessibility without replacing in-person participation.
Councilor Ashley Hardee moved to accept the two proposals and Vice Mayor Gavin Honeycutt seconded. The motion passed unanimously on a roll call vote with Councilors Randy Crocker, Lillie Feggins-Boone, Ashley Hardee, Vice Mayor Gavin Honeycutt, Delores Luster, Carl Sasser Jr., and Michael Smith recorded as voting 'Aye.
The town will proceed with contracting the vendors and scheduling the upgrades as part of broader restoration efforts at Town Hall. Town staff indicated installation and commissioning timelines will be coordinated with the ongoing return to the permanent chambers.
