Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutFSD-015-26Staff Report If this information is required in an alternate accessible format, please contact the Accessibility Coordinator at 905-623-3379 ext. 2131. Report To: General Government Committee Date of Meeting: April 13, 2026 Report Number: FSD-015-26 Authored By: David Cachia, CIO Submitted By: Trevor Pinn, Deputy CAO/Treasurer, Finance and Technology Reviewed By: Mary-Anne Dempster, CAO By-law Number: Resolution Number: File Number: Report Subject: Operational Replacements for Council Chambers Recommendations: 1.That Report FSD-015-26, and any related delegations or communication items, be received; 2.That Council authorize the procurement of Council Chambers audio/visual system upgrades from AV Group (Aligned Vision Group); 3.That Council authorize the procurement of the optional item (electronic voting); 4.That Council authorize the use of the reserve fund up to $115,000 to fund the Council Chambers Audio/Visual System Upgrades project; 5.That the installation be scheduled during the summer Council recess to minimize disruption to Council operations; and 6.That all interested parties listed in Report FSD-015-26, be advised of Council’s decision. GG-072-26 Municipality of Clarington Page 2 Report FSD-015-26 Report Overview The Council Chambers Audio/Visual (AV) system is a critical piece of municipal infrastructure that supports open and transparent local government. Council meetings, Standing Committee meetings, Advisory Committee meetings; and all remotely broadcasted meetings depend on the reliable operation of this system. This report seeks approval to replace the existing Shure DIS (Danish Interpretation System) delegate conference system within the Council Chambers with a modern Televic Confidea FLEX hardware platform. The current Shure DIS system is discontinued, replacement parts are nearly impossible to source from reputable vendors, and the hardware has begun to fail. Aligned Vision Group (AVG), the Municipality’s AV service vendor, has formally identified this replacement as a critical upgrade requirement. The proposed upgrade will be completed during the summer Council recess, providing sufficient time for installation, full commissioning, and testing prior to Council’s return in the fall. 1. Background Current State 1.1 The Council Chambers AV system supports the full spectrum of democratic processes conducted by the Municipality of Clarington. The system enables audio amplification for all meeting participants, integration with the broadcast and recording infrastructure, microphone management for elected officials, staff, and public delegates, and camera control pre-sets for proceedings. 1.2 The Shure DIS delegate microphone platform, which forms the core of the conference audio system, has been in place since 2018 and has reached end-of-life. The manufacturer, Shure, has formally discontinued the DIS hardware line, and replacement components are no longer reliably available through reputable vendors. Staff have begun experiencing hardware failures within the existing system, creating a risk of unplanned service disruption during Council meetings. 1.3 The Council Chambers AV system is a foundational component of Clarington’s democratic and governance infrastructure. The Shure DIS delegate conference platform has reached end-of-life, is no longer supportable, and has begun to exhibit hardware failures. Continued operation of this system presents an unacceptable risk of service disruption to Council proceedings. Municipality of Clarington Page 3 Report FSD-015-26 2. Vendor Communication and Recommendation 2.1 AVG, the Municipality’s contracted AV service provider, communicated the urgency of this situation directly to the Municipality. 2.2 Both AVG and MVI (the Municipality’s AV integration partner for the camera system) have previously recommended the Televic platform as the appropriate replacement. The Televic Confidea FLEX system offers a modern, fully supported, and feature-rich conference platform compatible with the Municipality’s existing Biamp Tesira DSP and Dante audio networking infrastructure. 3. Proposed Scope of Work 3.1 The scope of work, as outlined in Quote #46087-DM-1 from AV Group, includes the following: a. Removal and surrender of 21 existing Shure CM 6080F DIS microphone stations, the Shure DIS-CCU conference control unit, and the Audient ID4 USB audio interface; b. Supply and installation of 21 Televic Confidea FLEX touch-enabled tabletop conference units, positioned across the Mayor’s bench, Councillor stations (north and south), Staff stations (north and south), and the delegate podium; c. Supply and installation of 21 Televic Mike PLM502F gooseneck microphones to match the existing 19.5-inch microphone profile; d. Installation of a Televic Plixus AE-R Dante conference audio engine and two Plixus NEXT network extenders for redundancy; e. Installation of four Biamp Tesira SEC-4 microphone/line cards with acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) to enhance audio clarity; f. Replacement of the Crestron 3-series control processor with a Crestron CP4 4- series unit for improved compatibility; g. All associated cabling, custom plates, keystone disconnect boxes, and shielded CAT6 infrastructure required to support the new system; h. System design, engineering, CAD documentation, project management, on-site installation, off-site programming, and full on-site commissioning and training. i. AVG has confirmed that the remainder of the AV system is operational and not in a critical state requiring immediate replacement. Municipality of Clarington Page 4 Report FSD-015-26 3.2 To ensure adequate time for purchase order issuance to manufacturers, a client purchase order or written approval must be received by AVG by April 30th, 2026. 4. Financial Considerations 4.1 The capital expenditure for this upgrade is anticipated to be funded through the existing IT Reserve Funds. Staff will confirm the precise budget line and any variance reporting requirements through Finance in accordance with the Municipality’s procurement and budget policy. Cost Category Amount (CAD) Critical Upgrades – Equipment & Materials $54,597.00 Critical Upgrades – Professional Services $39,401.00 Subtotal (before tax) $93,998.00 HST (13%) $12,219.74 TOTAL (including HST) $106,217.74 4.2 Optional Additional Cost – Voting Interoperability: proposal includes an optional Additional Cost Option (ACO#1) for voting interoperability between the MVI voting platform and the Televic system. This option is not included in the base recommendation at this time, as voting integration has not yet been deployed at Clarington. This approach would be future-proofing. In the future, the Municipality may Municipality of Clarington Page 5 Report FSD-015-26 consider enabling electronic voting to increase transparency, accountability, and ease the Clerk's workload. The additional cost for this feature set is $5,324.00. 5. Strategic Plan 5.1 The proposed Council Chambers AV system upgrade directly supports the Municipality of Clarington’s Strategic Plan 2024-27, which is structured around three pillars: Lead, Connect, and Grow Responsibly. The upgrade touches each pillar. Ref. Pillar Strategic Priority How This Upgrade Aligns L.2.2 Lead Use technology and process improvement to modernize and optimize services Replaces end-of-life conferencing hardware with a modern, fully supported platform, modernizing a core governance service. L.2.3 Lead Design and implement a service delivery continuity plan Proactively replacing failing hardware before a critical failure ensures continuity of Council meetings and committee proceedings. L.2.5 Lead Maintain, protect and invest in Municipal infrastructure and assets Implements a planned asset lifecycle refresh of AV infrastructure supporting Council operations. L.4.1 Lead Increase opportunities for civic engagement and public participation A reliable, high-quality conference system ensures all residents who attend or tune in to Council can hear and engage meaningfully. L.4.3 Lead Cultivate an informed community through meaningful communications; use technology to expand reach Supports high-quality audio for Council broadcasts and recordings, enabling the broader community to access proceedings. Municipality of Clarington Page 6 Report FSD-015-26 Ref. Pillar Strategic Priority How This Upgrade Aligns G.4.2 Grow Responsibly Be a leader in anticipating and addressing the impacts of climate change Modern AV hardware is more energy- efficient and supports hybrid participation, reducing travel-related emissions (see Climate Change section). 6. Climate Change 6.1 The proposed upgrade aligns with Priority G.4.2 of the Corporate Strategic Plan 2024- 27, which directs Clarington to “be a leader in anticipating and addressing the impacts of climate change” and to “continue to implement the Clarington Corporate Climate Action Plan.” While the Council Chambers AV upgrade is primarily an operational necessity, it contributes to this commitment by using more energy efficient technology and supporting hybrid meetings which reduces travel and transportation needs. 7. Concurrence This report has been reviewed by the Municipal Clerk who concur with the recommendations. 8. Conclusion 8.1 It is respectfully recommended that Council authorize the procurement and installation of the Televic Confidea FLEX conference system, including additional licensing for electronic voting, at a total cost $115,000.00 (including HST). Installation will be completed during the summer Council recess to ensure full commissioning prior to Council’s return. Staff Contact: David Cachia, Chief Information Officer, 905-623-3379 x2230 or dcachia@clarington.net. Attachments: Not Applicable Interested Parties: There are no interested parties to be notified of Council's decision.