Laserfiche WebLink
ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION – JANUARY 17, 2023 10 <br /> <br />Mayor Grant directed staff to come back with appropriate language. <br /> <br />F. Assisted Hearing Equipment and Council Chambers <br /> <br />Councilmember Fabel said he had been made aware of new technology that works with certain <br />types of hearing aids that could direct sound from microphones directly to the hearing aids. He <br />noted he had provided a company name to the Mayor. He then excused himself from the rest of <br />the discussion. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant stated the new technology would be a coil that would run around the perimeter of <br />the Council chambers and the entire room could be used by anyone that had a hearing aid that was <br />T-coil capable. <br /> <br />City Administrator Perrault said there is a system in the chambers today that transmits <br />wirelessly to a pack that works with hearing aids. The new solution would require the carpet to be <br />lifted and a copper wire would be installed around the chamber. Anyone wearing a hearing aid <br />within that loop could change their setting so anyone speaking into a microphone would be <br />transmitted directly to the hearing aid. Some microphone adjustments would also need to be <br />made. Approximate cost of the system would be $25,000. The Cable Fund is currently has a <br />deficit that should be addressed as part of the 2024 budget cycle, but as it stands today the money <br />would probably need to come from the General Fund. He further explained items the Cable Fund <br />is used for. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden asked if someone needed to speak directly into the microphone for the <br />small speaker currently in use. <br /> <br />City Administrator Perrault replied they would. <br /> <br />Councilmember Holden asked what the annual software updates would be each year. <br /> <br />City Administrator Perrault said he wasn’t aware of what that fee would be but he would get <br />the information. <br /> <br />Mayor Grant noted that there was someone at the last meeting that stated they were having <br />trouble hearing. He thought there were council chambers in the area that had T-coil and he <br />thought they should move forward. <br /> <br />Councilmember Rousseau asked what was the life expectancy of the technology. <br /> <br />City Administrator Perrault ballparked the life expectancy to be ten years, potentially up to 15 <br />years. <br /> <br />Councilmember Monson said she would also like to know the ongoing costs and wondered if <br />there may be better technology on the market, but if most people are able to access this on their <br />hearing aid then she supported this. <br /> <br />City Administrator Perrault said there are other options but T-coil was the recommendation of <br />NineNorth and their consultant.