Makeover: Plymouth Council Chambers Edition

It's not exactly an "Extreme Home Makeover," but renovating the Plymouth Council Chambers has been on the to-do list for a while.

"The purpose of the project is to replace outdated and failing equipment," said Helen LaFave, Plymouth Communications Manager. "We expect that this will improve our telecasts."

The project will replace the city's 15-year-old television equipment; improve the room lighting, which is only one-sixth of what it should be to televise meetings; and make acoustical improvements so meeting attendees can better hear proceedings.

All AV equipment will be replaced.

"Our current equipment was purchased in 1996," LaFave said. "It has far surpassed its expected useful life. The equipment is to the point where it is failing."

The room modifications are aimed to improve not only the televised meetings, but also the acoustics for people that attend meetings. Room modifications include removing the soffit, replacing lighting above the council dais and staff tables and replacing the wall panels to improve in-room acoustics.

This project is not being funded with taxpayer dollars, LaFave said.

Grant dollars from the Northwest Community Television Cable Grant Fund are being used, which must be used for cable television purposes.

"We have been setting aside our grants from Northwest Community Television for the purpose of replacing our cable television equipment," she said. "The  AV portion of the project is expected to cost approximately $131,400. The room portion of the project is expected to cost approximately $176,800."

The project was approved by the council in February.