BUENA PARK : Council Chambers to Get New Sound System

After years of complaints, the City Council has agreed to buy a high-tech sound system for the council chambers.

The Surroundsound system will cost about $13,000 and spare viewers who watch the council meetings on television from straining to hear words, which sometimes are lost amid the sounds of rustling papers and tapping pens.

“The current council chamber sound system is outdated, frequently inoperable and requires service on a regular basis,” Operations Manager Paul De Pietro told the council last week.

The job was given to Primesound Co. in Buena Park. Newly elected Councilman Gerald N. Sigler questioned the propriety of having the job awarded without bidding.

City Atty. James L. Markman told the council that the city is allowed to dispense with bidding when the item is highly specialized.

“The problem is, nobody has the same system,” he said. “There is no way to get equivalent bids and go with the lowest bidder.”

Other council members said they are just glad the problem is going to be resolved.

The microphones on the council dais frequently pick up extraneous noise and often, while the voices of speakers addressing the council can be heard clearly, the responses of council members are lost.

The 130-seat chamber will have to be closed for about two weeks for installation.

City Clerk Alcene M. Cain said the work will probably be done at the end of January.