SB 707 Technology
Jeff Bennyhoff, Director of Information Technology — April 20, 2026 CITY OF MERCED SB 707 Compliance Technology
What Council is being asked to approve
1. Required compliance technology
Approve procurement and implementation of $34,546.
2. Optional enhancements
Approve the optional package for an additional $89,278.
3. Procurement authority
Waive competitive bidding under Merced Municipal Code §
3.04.210 for standardization and cooperative purchasing.
4. Budget and contract actions
Approve the $21,300 supplemental appropriation, the $1,901 Granicus change order, and the $20,872 Sourcewell increase.
Decision alternatives
Adopt as recommended; approve with changes; refer back for further evaluation; or deny.
Action Item
This item will require five (5) affirmative notes for approval 2 CITY OF MERCED SB 707 Compliance Technology
Cost summary
Required items cover baseline SB 707 compliance. Optional items improve usability, resilience, and meeting administration.
Total: $34,546
Remote registration and queue
Management system
$19,399 FYI contract
already
executed
Portable equipment (offsite /
town hall use)
$6,615
Stream/comment monitoring
stations
$8,532
Waive bid
cooperative
agreement
Waive
cooperative
bid
agreement
PEG Fund: $15,147
Support Services Fund: $19,399
Required items Optional items Total: $89,278
Council Chambers 3rd-party use $16,469 Below bid
threshold
Asyn public comment portal $1,901 Waive bid
standardization
Video production replacement $48,463 Waive bid
standardization
Agenda item display system $13,063 Below bid
threshold
Remote comment countdown timer $3,657 Below bid
threshold
Sam Pipes Room backup capability $5,725 Waive bid
cooperative
agreement
PEG Fund: $87,377
Support Services Fund: $1,901
CITY OF MERCED SB 707 Compliance Technology
Funding
PEG Fund
PEG revenues are restricted for
public, educational, and
governmental audiovisual access.
Capital equipment and installation
supporting governmental
broadcasting, including Council
Chambers AV systems, qualifies for
PEG funding.
Support Service 7008 Fund
Any project costs not covered by PEG
revenues will be funded from
unreserved, unencumbered Support
Services 7008 Fund balance. The
requested supplemental
appropriation is $21,300.
Annual impact
The I.T. department expects
about $1,600 in overtime each
year, plus $21,104 in ongoing
licensing and support costs to
be reflected in future operating
budgets.
Funding split for the full package
PEG Fund: $102,524
Support Services Fund: $21,300 $123,824 total
4 CITY OF MERCED SB 707 Compliance Technology
Council Chambers 3rd Party Use
Purpose
Configure Council Chambers to
support SB 707-compliant meetings
for outside governmental agencies.
$16,469
PEG Fund
Procurement authority
Below bid threshold
Why it matters
The existing system is configured for City legislative bodies and cannot support third-party SB 707-compliant meetings without additional equipment. Because Administrative Policy A-4 does not charge a facility use fee for governmental entities, the cost would not be offset through room rental revenue. 1 CITY OF MERCED SB 707 Compliance Technology
Asynchronous Public Comment Portal
Purpose
Allow written public comments to be
submitted before meetings to improve
access and efficiency.
$1,901
Support Services Fund
Procurement authority
Waive bid standardization
Why it matters
Written e-comments would supplement, not replace, real-time public comment. The portal improves accessibility for residents who cannot attend live or prefer not to speak publicly. 2 CITY OF MERCED SB 707 Compliance Technology
Video Production and Streaming System Replacement
Purpose
Replace the Council Chambers
production and streaming system as
part of the City’s meeting technology
refresh.
$48,463
PEG Fund
Procurement authority
Waive bid standardization
Why it matters
The current system is nearing the end of its useful life. Proceeding now allows the City to coordinate the replacement with current operational changes, avoid duplicate work, and incorporate minor enhancements.
3 CITY OF MERCED SB 707 Compliance Technology
Agenda Item Display System
Purpose
Add a display that clearly shows the
agenda item currently under
consideration.
$13,063
PEG Fund
Procurement authority
Below bid threshold
Why it matters
This improvement reduces confusion for attendees who join mid-meeting and supports more orderly public comment by making the active agenda item visible in real time.
4 CITY OF MERCED SB 707 Compliance Technology
Remote Public Comment Countdown Timer Integration
Purpose
Integrate the countdown clock into the
remote meeting platform so speakers
can see remaining time.
$3,657
PEG Fund
Procurement authority
Below bid threshold
Why it matters
The integration would allow remote participants to see time remaining and hear the audible buzzer at expiration, improving transparency and reducing the need for verbal reminders. 5 CITY OF MERCED SB 707 Compliance Technology
Sam Pipes Room Backup Meeting Capability
Purpose
Configure the Sam Pipes Room to
serve as a backup location for
legislative body meetings.
$5,725
PEG Fund
Procurement authority
Waive bid cooperative agreement
Why it matters
This redundancy helps maintain uninterrupted public access and reduces operational risk by providing an alternate meeting space when the Council Chambers are unavailable. 6 CITY OF MERCED SB 707 Compliance Technology
Council Action Summary
Authorization to procure SB 707 compliance technology, waive competitive bidding, and approve a supplemental appropriation
$123,824
Total project cost
$21,300
Support Services Fund
$34,546
Required compliance
items
$89,278
Optional
enhancements
Questions ?
$87,377
PEG Fund
1