Questioning the need to spend $17, 500 for live streaming video of St. Augusine City Commission meetings when it can be obtained for free

PAUL WIlLIAMSON, City of St. Augustine Public Affairs Director, has done it again.

In the agenda packet for tomorrow's St. Augusitne City Commission meeting is a no-bid proposal for $17,500 for a Plano, Texas company, SWAGIT PRODUCTIONS LLC, to provide live streaming video on the Internet of City Commission meetings.

The City of St. Augustine Beach gets the job done for free by LIVESTREAM.

Free. No charge. That's what computer experts recommend.

So why can't St. Augusine do that, getting the service for free (as COMCAST provided) instead of tapping reserves?

PAUL WILLIAMSON's no-bid SWAGIT proposal has been under secret discussion by WILILAIMSON and his County Commission counerpart, former Texan MICHAEL RYAN, since October 13, 2013. St. Johns County has already contracted with SWAGIT. SWAGIT's proposal states its other Florida customers include "Fort Pierce, Daytona Beach, Clay County, Santa Rosa County, Escambia County, Miami Lakes, Pensacola, Tamarc, Riveria Beach, Bay County and Atlantic Beach."

First COMCAST created a crisis with its unexplained technical" outage for two months. Then a no-bid contract comes in, offering to provide for money a service that was formerly provided by COMCAST for free.

Just say no. Get someone to evaluate the free LIFESTREAM service, instead of proposing a no-bid contract.

We need an independent audit and investigation of City of St. Augustine and St. Johns County purchasing practices.

No more no-bid contracts, please.

It's our money.