The Council Chambers inside City Hall are now closed through April of this year to facilitate upgrades to the audio and video systems.
All civic meetings that regularly use the space (Airport Commission, Architectural Review Board, City Council, Landmarks Commission, Recreation & Parks Commission and Rent Control Board) are being relocated. While the Recreation and Parks Commission will move to the Thelma Terry Building at Virginia Ave. Park, everyone else will move to the Civic Center’s East Wing, located at 1855 Main Street.
Council approved the $450,000 upgrade last year to replace equipment that staff said has become obsolete. Repairs and maintenance of the old equipment were becoming difficult as parts are increasingly unavailable for the discontinued models.
The new audiovisual and meeting management systems will allow the public to request to speak electronically using a kiosk in the lobby. Councilmembers will vote electronically and the results will be automatically displayed on new high-resolution monitors with closed captioning.
Meeting minutes will be automatically generated and speakers will be able to plug in their tablets and laptops to give presentations.
For more information on meeting days, times and agendas, visit www.smgov.net.
editor@smdp.com
