Audio and visual capabilities at Columbus City Hall will be receiving an upgrade, making public meetings more accessible for those in-person and online with revamped microphone systems and online video streams.
City officials have released a request for proposals for the upgrades, which includes improvements to the current audio/visual presentation systems in the council chambers, the Cal Brand Meeting Hall and three smaller conference rooms. The current online video stream would be improved as well.
The city will be accepting proposals for the project until Sept. 24.
Columbus City Council members in late June agreed to appropriate $300,000 for the work. The money will come from what’s called the “City Hall Facilities Misc. Service Fund,” which Executive Director of Administration Eric Frey said is a “catch all for upgrades and things that need to be done around city hall.”
The $300,000 dollars was based off of one quote the city had already received from Ovation Technology Group, city officials said.
Mayor Mary Ferdon had identified the upgrades as a need early on in her administration, Frey said in June, and city officials had heard about those having issues hearing in meetings “on a pretty consistent basis” going back into the past.
Problems that have been mentioned include poor acoustics and people speaking at varying volumes, which leads to the audio issues.
The Columbus Board of Public Works and Safety would have to sign off on the final contract at a later meeting and installation could begin in the fourth quarter of this year, Frey said earlier.
