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BACKGROUND <br />The City first installed video broadcast equipment in the City Council chambers in the <br />early 1990's to facilitate live broadcasts of City Council meetings. In 2000, portions of <br />the equipment, including the three existing three cameras, were replaced. Recently, <br />some of the existing equipment has failed causing interruption and/or degradation to live <br />broadcasts. Due to its age, some of the equipment requiring replacement, particularly <br />the Pinnacle Stream Genie video switcher, is no longer available. As a result, staff <br />contacted VMI, Inc., which is the firm that installed the current equipment in the City <br />Council Chambers, to review replacement and/or repair options. <br />As an outcome of this review, staff determined that it would be advantageous to replace <br />the bulk of the existing equipment. The equipment scheduled for replacement includes <br />the three cameras, the pan & tilt devices that house and physically move the cameras, <br />camera controllers, a character generator to provide on screen text, a new projector for <br />brighter screen display, a new document camera for staff presentations of standard <br />paper documents and a DVD burner to store the broadcasts. In addition, staff is <br />proposing installation of five small LCD monitors on the Council dais to allow <br />Councilmembers to more clearly view PowerPoint presentations. Currently, the location <br />of the video screen restricts the Council from a clear view of presentations. The cost of <br />this later option is approximately $4,000 plus miscellaneous parts and supplies required <br />for our Support Services staff to modify the dais. <br />One benefit of the new equipment is that it facilitates operation by one person and will <br />accommodate widescreen technology used in most flat panel televisions. While staff has <br />and may continue to use two operators, in the event of an unforeseen absence, one <br />person could effectively operate the equipment. <br />This matter was presented to the Council previously and the Council decided to explore <br />a redesign of the dais and staff table prior to installation of the equipment. Staff has <br />explored this option and determined that its completion will result in significant costs <br />including removal of the closets adjacent to the dais, installation of an exterior door to <br />accommodate the removal of the existing exterior door which would have to be relocated <br />to facilitate dais accessibility and installation of conduit in the existing floor requiring <br />recarpeting. Considering the scope of this work and the need to upgrade equipment, <br />staff has determine that it is more practical to conduct the work as part of overall facility <br />modification anticipated as part of the reorganization of development services <br />operations. <br />DISCUSSION <br />This matter is being presented for three specific reasons: <br />(1) to inform the Council of the project scope <br />(2) to obtain approval to use a sole source vendor <br />(3) to obtain funding authorization. <br />Page 2 of 3 <br />