Newly Upgraded Mike Balkman Council Chambers Opens for City Meetings
Published on February 18, 2025
The Mike Balkman Council has reopened for City Council, Commission and other meetings. The first meeting back is the Cultural Affairs Commission which will occur on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, followed by City Council on February 24th, and the Planning Commission on February 26, 2025, all at 7 PM.
Audio and visual upgrades were approved by City Council on August 26, 2024, to improve the system, inclusive of hardware and software components that were obsolete or reaching their end of life.
While some of the improvements are easily identifiable in the room during the meeting, such as the new single 144" video wall screen and the digital name plates for members, others are not as detectible, such as the new A/V Control Room board components that provide more seamless transitions between the different software used to allow for the meeting to be attended remotely and in person.
The list of improvements also includes:
- Full integration in design of all components into one system to allow for an in-person and remotely attended meeting to occur more organically.
- New enhancements to hearing meetings in person, with Assistive Listening software that you can use through your own phone.
- Upgrades to cameras, allowing for a clearer and more covered portion of the chambers for remote viewing.
- Up-to-date technology for all component parts and software.
For those joining remotely, you will notice the use of the program Zoom for meetings in the Mike Balkman Council Chambers, while meetings with remote options that occur outside of the Chambers will still use WebEx. Finding the Zoom link is the same: go to Culver City meeting’s agenda webpage to click and join the appropriate meeting.
"We are pleased to announce the Mike Balkman Council Chambers is now equipped with cutting-edge audio-visual technology," said J.R. Wright, Chief Information Officer. "This significant upgrade is the result of years of collaborative effort between our dedicated Culver City team and Integrated Media Systems, ensuring a seamless process from thoughtful planning to careful execution. Designed to enhance the accessibility and overall experience of our public meetings, the new system offers improved audio clarity, high-definition visual capabilities, and seamless integration for remote participation. These upgrades will foster a more efficient, interactive, and engaging environment for our Council and Commission meetings. This milestone reflects our continued commitment to providing the City Council with the best tools to serve the public with transparency, efficiency, and innovation."
Except for the change from WebEx to Zoom, there are no visible changes to online resources from before the upgrades. The Granicus software is still in use, and the link to published agendas, “Request to Speak” forms, meeting minutes and the video recordings remains Culver City meetings webpage.
We look forward to seeing you in the new Mike Balkman Council Chambers.