Report Prepared by: Jeremy Salyers, Lieutenant Merced Police Department
Title
SUBJECT: Approving Donation Acceptance Agreement and Donation of Twenty Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars ($20,800) from the Merced Tourism Improvement District (MTID) and Appropriating in the General Fund to be Used for the Blue Light Camera Program
REPORT IN BRIEF
Considers accepting and appropriating a donation of twenty thousand eight hundred dollars ($20,800) from the Merced Tourism Improvement District (MTID) to fund the purchase and installation of seventeen (17) blue light camera systems, including one-year cellular service for eleven (11) City-mounted units.
RECOMMENDATION
City Council - Adopt a motion:
A. Approving the Donation Acceptance Agreement and donation of $20,800 from the Merced Tourism Improvement District (MTID) for use in the Merced Police Department Blue Light Camera Program; and,
B. Increasing Contributions and Donations revenue in the amount of $20,800 and appropriating the same in the General Fund 1000 to cover the cost of (17) blue light cameras and one-year cellular service for eleven (11) of those blue light camera systems; and,
C. Authorizing the City Manager to execute the necessary documents; and,
Body
ALTERNATIVES
1. Approve, as recommended by staff; or,
2. Approve, subject to other than recommended (identify specific findings and/or conditions amended to be addressed in the motion); or,
3. Deny; or,
4. Refer to staff for reconsideration of specific items; or,
5. Continue to a future meeting (date and time to be specified in the motion).
AUTHORITY
Charter of the City of Merced, Section 200.
Administrative Policy and Procedures A-49 (Donation and Gift Policy)
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
As provided for in the 2026-2027 Adopted Budget, Goals & Priorities.
DISCUSSION
The Merced Police Department has received a donation from the Merced Tourism Improvement District (MTID), located in the City of Merced. The MTID has committed funding in the amount of $20,800 to support the expansion of the department’s Blue Light Camera Program.
The Merced Police Department will use these funds to purchase components to build seventeen (17) blue light camera systems in-house. These cameras will be strategically placed near hotel locations that actively contribute to the MTID, enhancing monitoring capabilities in areas with high visitor activity, deterring criminal behavior, and supporting traffic-related enforcement.
Eleven (11) of the camera systems will be mounted to existing City-owned Street poles in the vicinity of participating hotel locations. These units will utilize cellular connectivity, allowing real-time access by the department’s Real Time Information Center.
The remaining six (6) camera systems will be installed directly by participating hotels on their private property. These locations will provide their own Wi-Fi connectivity, and installation will be handled independently by the respective businesses.
This program continues to operate under a community partnership model, where participating businesses fund the initial purchase of camera systems. The city assumes ongoing operational costs only for City-mounted units requiring cellular connectivity.
This approach significantly reduces upfront costs to the city while advancing the department’s strategic goal of leveraging technology to enhance public safety.
While the placement of these cameras supports MTID-associated hotel properties, the benefit extends citywide. These cameras will serve as a valuable investigative tool for the Merced Police Department by assisting with criminal investigations, suspect identification, and incident reconstruction.
This project remains part of the department’s ongoing Community Partnership Program, focused on expanding camera infrastructure through collaboration with local businesses and organizations.
IMPACT ON CITY RESOURCES
By accepting the $20,800 donation and appropriating in the General Fund there are no impacts on city resources in the first year of operation.
Following the initial one-year period funded by the MTID donation, the ongoing cost for cellular service for the eleven (11) City-mounted camera systems will be approximately $40 per month per unit, or $480 annually per unit, resulting in a total estimated annual cost of $5,280.
The six (6) privately installed camera systems will not incur any ongoing monthly or annual costs to the City, as those locations will utilize privately funded Wi-Fi connectivity.
Additional budgeting for continued camera connectivity will be evaluated and included as part of the Fiscal Year 2027/2028 budget process. This timeline allows the department for approximately one (1) year to analyze data, assess productivity, and evaluate the effectiveness of the deployed camera systems to determine whether continued investment is warranted or if resources should be reallocated based on operational need.
This item requires five affirmative votes from Council for approval.
ATTACHMENTS
1. MTID Donation Acceptance Agreement signed
2. MTID Donation Acceptance Form
3. MTID Cameras proposal
4. MTID Form 801