Members of the Plymouth Common Council reviewed a quote from BSI Digital of Fort Lauderdale, FL to provide equipment and software in the City Council Chambers to allow for live broadcast streaming of meetings with sound and audio.
BSI Digital installed the recording equipment in the Council Chambers when the city moved to the new upstairs council chambers. They are familiar with the room and equipment already in place.
During the last city meetings, Mayor Senter, Clerk/Treasurer Jeanine Xaver and two councilmen used zoom to attend the meeting. COVID-19 has caused big changes for governmental agencies including the need to offer meetings online.
The quote for the project was $19,342.95 which includes equipment, installation, software, shipping and training.
Councilman Jeff Houin asked it the new equipment would have the capability for the mayor to have a video conference with a city department head from his office and have the department head in their office? He also asked if the equipment would be strictly for the council chambers. The clerk/treasurer said they are willing to have a representative attend the meeting and discuss the capabilities.
This is the type of project the CARES Act funding was initially intended to fund. City Attorney Sean Surrisi said the city has approximately $320,000 available from the state. At a meeting last week the state said to get the funding out to cities and towns more quickly they would like payroll from March 1st until now submitted for reimbursement, thus allowing the cities and towns to determine what projects they want to fund with the reimbursement funds.
