COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Chuen Wu, Assistant City Manager
DATE: April 1, 2025
SUBJECT: Adoption of a Resolution Approving a Budget Amendment for Public, Education, and Government for an Audiovisual and Production Solution Project for Fiscal Years 2024-25 and 2025-26.
Description:
The City Council will consider adopting a Resolution to increase the budget in the Public, Education, and Government division of the City Manager’s Office by $120,000 toward the replacement of the obsolete Shepard Hall audiovisual system which will be upgraded and integrated with the Council Chambers and tower production room.
Environmental Notice: The activity is not a “Project” as defined under Section 15378 of the California E nvironmental Quality Act State Guidelines; therefore, pursuant to State Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3) no environmental review is required.
RECOMMENDATION:
Adopt a Resolution approving a budget amendment for Public, Education, and Government in the amount of $120,000 for an audiovisual and production solution project for Fiscal Years 2024-25 and 2025-26.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Santa Maria receives specific Public, Education, and Government ( PEG) revenues paid by Comcast Cablevision.
In fiscal years 2022-24, the City upgraded audiovisual equipment in the Council Chambers and tower production room to enhance communications. The current project to connect to Shepard Hall in the Public Library is an extension of this effort. Shepard Hall is a vital extension of the Council Chambers. It can be used as an overflow for the Council Chambers, or the proposed audiovisual system can be used for stand -alone purposes.
Due to the projected installation timetable, this project is expected to start this fiscal year and end in the next fiscal year.
DISCUSSION:
The project is to replace obsolete components and restore Shepard Hall to full functionality as part of Santa Maria’s Smart City, Safe City strategi c plan to improve the quality of life and provide a safe environment for City employees. The project will design and install a solution including new cameras in Shepard Hall and the City Council 2 Chambers, microphones, room controls, and other components su ch as encoders, decoders and switchers that integrate with the production room at City Hall.
Sufficient funds are available in the PEG fund. The PEG revenues received from Comcast are for capital projects. The approved 2024 -25 PEG budget appropriates $2 0,000 for three new cameras in Shepard Hall as part of this project. An additional $120,000 is needed to complete the connection to Shepard Hall.
Fiscal Considerations
The requested $120,000 is available in the PEG fund balance.
Impact to the Community
The solution will enhance public participation in and transparency of City public meetings, improve the City’s ability to record staff training events, provide PEG members with a studio space, and enable users of Shepard Hall to widely share their meetings either on Zoom or Teams and thus greatly expand programming on Santa Maria Community Television.
ATTACHMENT(S)
A. Resolution