Batavia to double community surveillance measures despite privacy, cost concerns

There will be more eyes in the sky in Batavia next year as the city plans to nearly double its current surveillance measures despite city council members voicing concerns about privacy and the cost.

City council members recently approved a contract with Aurora telecom company Scientel Solutions to add 55 surveillance cameras to the city’s downtown areas and at key city-owned facilities.

Of the 55 new cameras, 29 are planned for the downtown area, six for public works buildings, seven at each fire station, and six at electrical substations. The city already has 57 existing surveillance cameras.

Scientel Solutions will provide the city with a mobile trailer and a new video management system to retain and access the footage.

The city will pay roughly $342,000 for the equipment and services. It will also pay an annual fee for management and support services.

The annual fee will be $24,240 for the first year. It will increase by 3% each year after the first year of the contract.

The council approved the contract in a 10-1 vote on Dec. 16. Alderman Mark Uher voted no, Alderman Tim Lanci abstained, and Aldermen George Ajazi and Nicholas Cerone were absent.

Immediately after approving the contract, council members approved an intergovernmental agreement with the park district to install cameras on its properties, including the Peg Bond Center, the Riverwalk and Houston Street.

Before the vote, Uher objected to the additional surveillance, calling it an “overreach and a waste of money.”

Council members had a discussion about the contract during a committee of the whole meeting on Dec. 10.

Uher said he was not in support of adding surveillance in the downtown area or at the fire stations. He also raised several security concerns.

“I’m not sure what we’re protecting, especially at the fire stations, which are manned 24/7,” Uher said. “It seems like we just keep putting cameras wherever we can, and it’s just raising our costs.”

City Administrator Laura Newman said the additional cameras will help protect millions of dollars worth of equipment the city has invested in. She added the cameras deter crime and are a resource for criminal apprehension.

The surveillance system will be accessible through the cloud, via a phone application, from anywhere with an internet connection. One anticipated benefit of the system is that footage will be accessible to several parties, including the public works department, should issues arise at one of their substations.

All footage records will be retained for 30 days and be subject to Freedom of Information Act requests from the public. The surveillance system, processes and policy will be subject to an annual audit by the city.

Police Chief Shawn Mazza supported the additional cameras. He said the mobile unit will be especially helpful on event days like the Fourth of July when many residents gather in locations not regularly monitored.