Olmsted County and City of Rochester partner on upgrades to Board Room/Council Chambers

August 18, 2025

Beginning Thursday, August 28, 2025, the shared Council Chambers/Board Room at the Olmsted County Government Center will close for upgrades. The City of Rochester and Olmsted County are working together on this project to update aging equipment, improve hybrid meeting technology, and enhance accessibility for everyone. 

The project is expected to take approximately two months, including training on the new system and coordination with additional county improvements.  

Temporary new location for public county meetings 

During this time, Olmsted County board and committee meetings will take place at 2100 Campus Dr SE in the Cascade, Whitewater, and Silver Creek conference rooms. To virtually attend meetings, residents can join via Microsoft Teams (look for the materials in the Documents section of our PrimeGov webpage.   

Temporary new location for public city meetings 

City of Rochester Council and committee meetings will be held at the Rochester Public Utilities’ Community Room, 4000 East River Road NE. There will be no option for virtual participation during this time. However, meetings will be livestreamed and recorded on the City’s YouTube channel, with recordings also available the next day on the City of Rochester website. Meeting viewing information will also be shared on the City’s Facebook page ahead of each meeting. Meetings will not be broadcast on cable television while the upgrades are underway. 

Further background 

The last comprehensive audiovisual upgrade for Council Chambers/Board Room happened in 2014. Since then, much of the equipment has exceeded its useful life, causing frequent maintenance issues, compatibility challenges, and interruptions to live video feeds. This upgrade will replace outdated equipment with a fully digital system that improves sound and video quality, increases reliability, and simplifies future maintenance. 

In addition to enhancing live meeting feeds and streaming quality, the new system will provide better options for remote participation, upgrade hearing assistance technology, and improve captioning services. The project also includes refreshing the room with new lighting, carpeting, and window treatments to improve visibility and overall user experience. 

Though local governments are not required to livestream or provide cable access for meetings, this upgrade reflects a shared commitment by the City of Rochester and Olmsted County to meet resident expectations by investing in modern, inclusive infrastructure that strengthens public access and supports transparent, efficient local government. 

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Media contact: Emma Diercks, Communications Specialist, 507-328-6166