MARTINSBURG — The COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped and defined the way many conduct their lives, including making the intense and widespread usage of technologies vital to continue daily necessities.

In keeping up with the demand to share, communicate and connect virtually, the Martinsburg City Council approved in a special meeting Tuesday night to purchase a roughly $17,000 live-streaming package after having spent the last six months of quarantines and shutdowns utilizing Facebook streaming for its various meetings.

“Lifesize is a cloud-based video conferencing and collaboration platform combining a software solution for personal devices like laptops and mobile phones with a full line of 4K video conferencing systems and wireless sharing devices purpose-built specifically for meeting rooms,” a memorandum from City Manager Mark Baldwin said.

Baldwin went on to explain that over the last few months of quarantining and shutdowns, the city has relied upon City Attorney Kin Sayre’s Zoom account to conduct meetings but, with Lifesize, the city will be able to have its own account and the ability to conduct meetings and streaming on its own.

The council approved unanimously of the three-year subscription to Livesize video conferencing, the associated hardware and installation for an initial $17,289 for the first year and a dropped rate of $4,789 for subsequent years.

The council also confirmed the purchase of audio-visual and teleconferencing hardware, as well as the installation for council chambers and the conference room from Innovative, Inc. for $28,225 unanimously.

As described in city documents, the city council approved of a $25,000 proposal with Innovative to install the hardware to enable the city to update its technology and, after multiple weeks spent fine tuning the needs of the city, including the ability to live stream across the city’s Government Access Cable Channel, approved of the new $28,225 price tag.

“This will completely replace and update the council chambers’ technology with new microphones, new audio receiver and television monitors to display presentations, project plans and video conferencing,” a second memorandum from Baldwin said. “This will solve an issue that staff is consistently hearing from the citizens that it is difficult to watch and hear the proceeding the way that council meetings are currently being streamed on Facebook Live.”

According to city documents, the price includes a laptop for the council secretary, as well as two other computers, conference room A/V setup, cabling and technology support, as well as five wall-mounted televisions and corresponding mounts.

In addition, the council:

• Provided an update on the West Virginia Department Of Transportation street repaving within the City of Martinsburg, including Winchester Avenue, King Street to Pennsylvania Avenue and onto Cloud Street.

• Approved a bid recommendation for General Fund Street paving to Jefferson Asphalt for $709,563 in total to pave a number of streets in and maintained by the city.

• Approved purchase of one additional K-9 officer for the Martinsburg Police Department from Shallow Creek Kennels for $15,000, which includes canine and training of handler and dog, to be taken from the Drug Forfeiture Fund, at the request of Police Chief George Swartwood.

• Approved to remove the left turn lane on North Queen at Martin Street following the WVDOT street repaving.