Pevely City Hall’s board room is getting a new audio-visual system to replace the original one installed when the building opened 18 years ago and that has become unreliable, City Administrator Andy Hixson said.
Board members on Aug. 17 voted 5-2 to approve a motion to enter into an agreement with Forward Slash Technologies of St. Louis for the purchase, installation and maintenance of the new audio-visual system in the room where Board of Aldermen and other municipal meetings occur. The cost for equipment, labor, installation and maintenance is $43,106.13, with an ongoing monthly fee of $209 for a ManyCam subscription.
“It’s much needed to help provide clarity at our meetings,” City Administrator Andy Hixson said.
Board members Stephanie McCain of Ward 2 and Travis Dittmann of Ward 4 cast the no votes, while Don Menkhus and Michael Hite of Ward 1, Rick Yount of Ward 2, Tyler Leeder of Ward 3 and Bryan Eckles of Ward 4 voted for it. Steve Miles of Ward 3 did not attend.
A separate vote on a motion to enter into an agreement with Forward Slash Technologies for the purchase and installation of a video surveillance system at the city’s Public Works locations ended the same way as the vote on the audio-visual system. The cost of the surveillance system is $241,471.89.
According to a staff report, the existing video surveillance system is a basic system that is outdated and in need of replacement.
Hixson said both of the purchases were not bid out because they are considered to be from a “single-source provider” in regard to the city’s systems.
McCain said she is not opposed to the purchases but said they could have been delayed until after an upcoming budget meeting.
“I absolutely believe (the audio-visual system) was necessary,” she said. “However, why couldn’t they have waited? I think they could have waited another 30 days until our budget meeting on Sept. 21.
“I understand they think it’s OK for the purchase because it’s in the budget. However, the budget is not an automatic approval to spending. It’s a guide to spending. A budget needs to be reviewed and reevaluated. I feel the same way about the surveillance system purchase.”
Hixson said he hopes for the audio-visual system and video surveillance systems to arrive and be installed in September.
In other business
Board members voted 7-0 to approve an agreement with Kingsland Concrete of St. Louis for concrete work on the Landmark Manor Drive project at a cost of $57,600.
Kingsland’s was the second-lowest bid of five submitted for the project, Hixson said. He said Kingsland’s was considered the best bid.
“We went with who we had a better prior experience with,” he said.
He said the work is expected to occur during September.