Volunteers handle upgrades to meeting chamber
By Jason Arndt
Staff Writer
Volunteers from LifeBridge Church spent their Sunday helping the City of Burlington with audio and visual upgrades to the Common Council chambers.
The upgrades, according to Burlington Mayor Jeannie Hefty, aim to improve experiences for both in-person and virtual attendees of city proceedings such as Common Council meetings and municipal court appearances.
“Our city realized we needed to address the issues of trying to allow our citizens to follow city meetings at the highest clarity of audio and video possibilities,” she said. “The technology that is available now will assist us in these areas.”
The technology includes four cameras, two mounted television sets, 16 new microphones, two wireless microphones, a work station allowing city staff to moderate meetings, improved sound at the podium, four speakers mounted throughout the room as well as a new sound rack in the closet along with a monitor at the mayor’s desk.
“The project should be done by the end of this week and am excited to see how these upgrades improve the end user experiences,” City Administrator Carina Walters said.
The Common Council acknowledged audio and visual deficiencies since returning for in-person proceedings after spending more than a year conducting business through Zoom videoconferencing platform and in early September authorized Walters to purchase the upgrades at a cost not-to-exceed $25,000.
According to city officials, Burlington would use dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act, otherwise known as the economic stimulus package, passed by Congress because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The authorization came with a caveat allowing LifeBridge Church volunteers to contribute in-kind services for the project, including installation of new technology, as well as applying a new coat of paint.
John Thorngate, administrative pastor of LifeBridge, said his church decided to volunteer for the project as a way to serve the community.
“This is church today,” he said. “This is our time of worship. We are serving God by serving our neighbors and community.”
Elsewhere, LifeBridge is conducting other community service projects, including collection of items for Afghan refugees housed at Fort McCoy as well as assembling care packages to drop off at local residences.
To read the entire story and view additional photos see the Oct. 14 edition of the Burlington Standard Press.
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