A new audio system in the Vermilion County Board meeting room failed to satisfy during its initial meeting Tuesday evening. Some county board members who attended the meeting via Zoom complained they could often not hear comments in the room.
‘’It’s like I’m not representing my district,’’ proclaimed Nancy O’Kane of Danville. ‘’There’s a lot of echoing and garbling,’’ she added. O’Kane also complained that she could not hear a report given by County Health Administrator Doug Toole regarding COVID-19 vaccinations. Another board member using Zoom, Kevin Green, agreed with O’Kane.
Vermilion County Board Chairman Larry Baughn said the system worked fine when it was tested earlier. He added the county’s IT department would be asked to look into the problems. And Baughn added if the issue cannot be resolved, future meetings may switch to Zoom only during the pandemic.
Upgrades to the sound system in the meeting room include an 82-inch monitor to help board members see those using Zoom. Plans are to use it for Power Point presentations after the pandemic ends. New speakers were also installed in the room. Those improvements were funded with part of a $937-thousand-dollar reimbursement related to expenditures regarding the pandemic. The funds are being used for staff salaries, personal protection equipment, and technology upgrades.
The county board met on Zoom for the first three months of the pandemic, but then switched back to in-person meetings in June with a Zoom option also available.
