ADMINISTRATION BUILDING Chamber Cameras To Go Up
NEW SYSTEM WOULD ALLOW MORE COUNCIL MEETINGS TO BE RECORDED
Thursday, November 5, 2009
SPRINGDALE — City Council members won’t be the only TV stars in Springdale city government after new cameras go up at the administration building.
The council approved spending up to $14,000 to replace the system now used with cameras mounted in the council chamber. The new equipment will allow meetings to continue to be recorded and broadcast on cable channel 16.
The mounted cameras could addother meetings to the TV schedule, because the cameras remain in place, according to Mayor Doug Sprouse.
“I never realized how many people watch the recorded council meetings,” Sprouse said. “I think people would be interested in seeing other meetings.”
Top meeting choice to add would be the Planning Commission, said Wyman Morgan, city director of administration and financial services.
“We could also do the Airport Commission and any committeesthe council wants to move to its chambers,” Morgan said. “If the council wanted to bring the Advertising and Promotion Commission back over here, we could do that too.”
The new system would replace cameras purchased by Jones Television about 15 years ago, said Mike Berenbrok, Jones Television technical supervisor and program coordinator.
“They cost about $80,000 to $90,000 then,” Berenbrok said. “They are breaking down. We’ve pieced some cameras together butthey are not going to last much longer.”
One person will be able to operate the three-camera system, Berenbrok said. A joystick would operate the remote-control cameras, but preset locations for each camera can be programed into a computer to allow jumps from one spot to the next.
The three large floor cameras now used are set up in the council chambers before each meeting, at least two cameramen needed.
That setup requires a cameraman to creep along the back of the room from one camera to another, to re-aim and focus.
“The cameras and wires can be a hazard in the room,” Morgan said.
All the wires for the new system will be inside walls and ceilings, Berenbrok said. The $14,000 for thesystem is for equipment only. The system will be installed by Berenbrok and city sta◊.
Berenbrok would continued to record the council meetings, with a city sta◊member trained to record other meetings, Morgan said.
The government cable channel, No. 16, has time to play more Springdale meetings, Berenbrok said. In Fayetteville, channel 16shows Fayetteville meetings.
“The channel is open to any government meeting,” Berenbrok said.
“If someone records a meeting and brings it to us, we’ll put it on.”
Having a wider variety of city meetings would help residents learn about their city, Sprouse said.
“There is nothing wrong with people knowing what is going on,” Sprouse said.
News, Pages 1 on 11/05/2009
Comments
To report abuse or misuse of this area please hit the "Suggest Removal" link in the comment to alert our online managers. Please read our comment policy.
Use the comment form below to begin a discussion about this content.
Registration is required to make comments. Click here to LOGIN.
You can register for FREE to post comments and receive alerts.