Posted: 11:20 a.m.Friday, June 24, 2016

Middletown updates equipment torecord council meetings

ByMike Rutledge

Staff Writer

MIDDLETOWN — 

Membersof Middletown City Council this week approved spending of $105,700 for newvideo and audio equipment, which will be used to record city meetings.

“Theaudio-visual equipment in city council chambers has really exceeded its normallifespan,” City Manager Doug Adkins said earlier this month. “The picture’sgetting fuzzy and we’re not looking real good on TV these days.”

Actually,council meetings no longer are shown on television, with the closure of TVMiddletown, which used to broadcast them. The city eventually hopesto stream meetings live on the city’s website. In the meantime, recordings areposted the next day on the city’s website.

Thecity received proposals from six vendors, ranging from $57,924 to $149,905, anddecided to award the project to AVI/SPL in Vandalia, which submitted a bid of$96,094. The $105,700 includes a 10 percent contingency because other work,such as electrical upgrades, may be required.

Inother matters, the council:

·                      Extended a pair of contracts to SmartBill Ltd., of Hebron, for the printingand mailing of water bills and tax bills at the same prices as now. Thewater-bill work is performed for 13 cents a bill plus postage, at a cost ofabout $8,800 per month, plus about $14,000 a year in paper costs for bills andenvelopes. The tax bills are handled for 14 cents per bill plus mailing costs.The city expects to spend less than $30,000 for the yearly contract.

·                      Held a first of two readings for a new contract with its AFSCMEemployees, who work in Public Works.

·                      Authorized city administrators to enter into a $55,000 contractover three years with Galls Inc. of Lexington, Ky., to buy police uniforms.“The city is moving to a more updated, more approachable uniform,” according toa report by city purchasing agent Cindy Strayer. She wrote that while bids wereput out, only Galls responded.

MIDDLETOWN CITY COUNCIL AGENDA

TUESDAY, June 21, 2016

BUSINESS MEETING – 5:30 pm – COUNCIL CHAMBERS – LOWER LEVEL

1. MOMENT OF MEDITATION/PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG

2. ROLL CALL

3. PUBLIC HEARING: 2017 Tax Budget for the City of Middletown

4. PUBLIC HEARING: Edward Byrne Memorial Justice AssistanceGrant- Police

5. CITIZEN COMMENTS, GUESTS, ORGANIZATIONS’ REPORTS GeriLynn Maples, M.A., Veterans Services Coordinator, Union Institute &University

6. CITY MANAGER REPORTS

7. CONSENT AGENDA. . . Matters listed under the ConsentAgenda are considered to be routine and will be enacted by one motion and onevote of consent. There will be no separate discussion of these items. Ifdiscussion is desired, that item will be removed and considered separately.

(a) Approve City Council Minutes: June 7, 2016

(b) Receive and File Board & Commission Minutes: CivilService Commission- February 11, March 17, May 5, 2016

(c) Approve the Purchase of a Case 580N Backhoe Loader fromthe Southeastern Equipment Company, of Monroe, Ohio, in the amount of $56,190(including tradein) for the Division of Street Maintenance

MOTION AGENDA

(a) Receive, File and Adopt the 2017 Tax Budget for the Cityof Middletown

(b) Authorize the City Manager to submit a grant applicationand enter into a grant agreement for the Edward Byrne Memorial JusticeAssistance Grant

COUNCIL COMMENTS

LEGISLATION

1. Ordinance No. O2016-18, an ordinance establishing aprocedure for and authorizing a contract with AVI/SPL for the purchase andinstallation of audio and video equipment. (2nd Reading)

2. Ordinance No. O2016-19, an ordinance establishing aprocedure for and authorizing the extension of the current contract withSmartbill LTD. for the printing and mailing of water bills. (2nd Reading)

3. Ordinance No. O2016-20, an ordinance establishing aprocedure for and authorizing the extension of the current contract withSmartbill LTD. for the printing and mailing of tax bills. (2nd Reading)

4. Ordinance No. O2016-21, an ordinance authorizing acollective bargaining agreement with AFSCME Local 856 (Public Works) for July1, 2016 through June 30, 2019, and declaring an emergency. ( No actionrequested until July 5, 2016)

5. Ordinance No. O2016-22, an ordinance authorizing acontract with Galls, LLC for the purchase of police uniforms. (1st Reading)