Why I voted against another Scientel contract

During the last council meeting, Alderman Mesiacos and I voted against a $952,690 contract with Scientel and others to install security cameras throughout our new public works facility. The contract was for more than security cameras, and you can read the details of agenda item 24-0443 at the City’s website.

Scientel is one of the biggest “pay-to-play” contractors that is doing business with the City of Aurora. Scientel and their executives have donated $159,750 to the mayor’s campaign funds and R Future PAC, and they have donated an additional $33,000 to various aldermen.

We are installing security cameras all over town, sometimes in places where we just don’t need them. For example, after the civil unrest that followed the murder of George Floyd, we paid Scientel $1.2 M to put cameras up and down the route that those protestors marched. It assumes that any future protests are going to follow the same path. Additionally, these security cameras are not actively monitored. The camera footage is available for retrieval for a certain number of days, but it is not monitored.

My Solution: A better way to provide surveillance security for some of our buildings and public facilities is to hire in-house electricians with a “C” Card (fiber optic and cable). We already have in-house electricians who handle much of our electrical work. There is another contract coming during the next council meeting for more “C” Card work. Having qualified, in-house electricians will allow us to adequately maintain our existing infrastructure and install new cameras as needed.