UKIAH, CA., 2/4/25 — The Ukiah City Council will hold its regularly scheduled meeting Wednesday to consider purchasing brand-new technology for the city.
A few of the agenda items the City Council will consider include a proposal to purchase new security cameras for the Ukiah Civic Center property and approval of a 2025 Ford pickup truck for city use.
The council will also consider a resolution appointing Elizabeth Kirsch, a local peer support specialist, to the Diversity and Equity Standing Committee, which aims to bring representation from diverse groups that represent the communities of Ukiah. The committee consists of 11 members, two from the City Council and nine residents from the city of Ukiah or the Ukiah Valley.
The Ukiah City Council will consider approving the purchase of 35 Cisco Meraki cameras from Rhino Networks for $182,273.29 to replace the current security cameras used at the Ukiah Civic Center. The Meraki brand is a cloud-managed information technology company owned by Cisco and provides high-tech security and surveillance systems.
The city’s current camera system has reached the end of its lifespan, with many cameras now defunct. According to the proposal document from city staff, if approved, the new system will provide real-time alerts, consistent coverage, a robust storage system and lower power consumption.
“We did our background on all of the costs, and this was much cheaper than any other camera system we could find,” Scott Shaver, information technology manager for the city of Ukiah, said in an interview.
He noted that the Civic Center has had unwanted activity outside their building.
“I know that there have been homeless folks hanging out in the parking lot and have been threatening. The Police Department has helped monitoring the security cameras at the Civic Center, and the cameras we will get will cover mostly everything that’s going on outside.”
The City Council will also consider purchasing a 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning truck for $60,964.56, using funds from a $1 million state Community Development Block Grant awarded to the city in 2022. For the past two years, the city of Ukiah’s Code Enforcement Division has used an old truck to review code compliance issues, and because of the vehicle’s age, it has many maintenance problems.
The Code Enforcement Division’s staff has also raised concerns about the vehicle’s long-term use and carbon footprint, hoping to purchase an electric vehicle that fits in with the city’s goal to promote environmental sustainability. When possible, the city aims to replace gas and hybrid vehicles with electric vehicles.
Another key agenda item, one that could greatly support the LGBTQ+ community in Ukiah, is the consideration of a resolution to appoint Kirsch, a 22-year-old LGBTQ+ resident who prefers to be called Izzy and uses they/them pronouns, to the city’s diversity and equity committee.
Kirsch works as a peer support specialist at the Arbor Youth Resource Center in Ukiah, helping young people ages 12 to 25 access various resources at the center. Kirsch emphasized that if appointed to the committee, their work for the city will be separate from their role at the center but related to some of their past experiences.
“I am a lifelong resident of Mendocino County, specifically Ukiah and Redwood Valley,” Kirsch said in an interview. “Growing up here, I have experienced first-hand the gap in services and representation of not only the LGBTQ+ population but also our young residents especially in terms of celebration, social support and education. A huge part of my lifelong mission has always been to close this gap for those demographics and other minorities.”
To be a member of the committee, applicants must meet one of the following criteria: experience of poverty, physical or mental disabilities, Native American tribal membership, Latino heritage, people of color, individuals 21 years old or younger, senior citizens or members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Committee members must either reside or work in Ukiah and be appointed by the City Council based on their written application. In addition, applicants may be required to participate in oral interviews before the council.
Kirsch hopes to be officially appointed to the committee Wednesday. But if not, they will continue working with young people from marginalized communities in Ukiah.
“I believe it’s pivotal for our city to have the LGBTQ+ seat continually filled but I also think implementing the youth voice and perspective has the potential to bring forth a new impact for a locally historically underserved populace,” Kirsch added. “I intend to serve my community with compassion and forever hold hope and strength for my generation, the generations before me and the many generations to come.”
The City Council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 5:15 p.m. at the Ukiah Civic Center at 300 Seminary Ave. Residents can watch a recording of the meeting online by using this link to the agenda packet and clicking on the Zoom link at the top of the page. Public comments can be emailed to meetings@cityofukiah.com or called in at (707) 463-6217.
THEY TALK A BIG GAME ABOUT SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES BUT THEY DIDN’T EVEN BUY THE 61K 2025 ELECTRIC TRUCK LOCALLY? they couldn’t buy a 2023 and save half the money? morons! That money was supposed to help people in a housing crisis, not to penalize them in a shiney new pickup!