MAMAKATING — For many years, the Town of Mamakating has grappled with a problem that residents and officials alike have contended with: refracting audio in the spacious Town Hall building that has made speakers nigh impossible to comprehend.

Describing the environment as a “general din” that makes speech difficult to distinguish during last Tuesday night’s meeting, Supervisor Peter Goodman sought to close the book on everyone’s struggles by putting forth a long-term solution. Said solution would install custom-fitted acoustic ceiling panels and replace the current, lacking audio-visual system with larger speakers and a more consistent amplifier, all for an estimated cost of $60,400.

Citing the figure as a “non-insignificant” amount of money, Goodman also laid out the logistics of finding a single contractor to concurrently handle both sectors of the work—AV installation and specialized acoustic treatment—which he equated to “pulling hen’s teeth.”

The board itself was wary of the idea, citing the hefty cost and no guarantee that the panels would solve the issue. Councilman Tyler Wood suggested the problem may not lie in the room’s architecture, but rather in the behavior and volume of speakers.

“Is it not easier to just ask people to, you know, speak up a little bit?” suggested Wood.

After Wood asked meeting attendees if they could hear him without a microphone, resident Janet Lybolt stressed that the structural issues are too deeply ingrained for simple volume changes to solve. 

She noted that the current wall-mounted tiles, originally installed to absorb sound, were rendered ineffective when they were painted over years ago, essentially blocking their pores.

“When they got dirty, they were painted,” recounted Lybolt. “They’re not going to absorb like they’re supposed to.”

Councilman Matt Mordas offered a stern comparison from the board table.

“I feel like I’m listening to the old movie The Pride of the Yankees when Lou Gehrig gives his speech over the PA system at Yankee Stadium,” admitted Mordas. “The echo is terrible.”

As a result, Mordas suggested a period of “experimentation.” His proposal was for the town to borrow PA equipment from the local American Legion to determine whether improved speakers were the answer before moving forward with a major expenditure.

Also discussed were cheaper, do-it-yourself alternatives such as acoustic spray foam or even hanging fabric from the ceiling, all with the goal of dampening sound.

“Could we hang sheets from the ceiling and it will dampen the echo?” Wood suggested, acknowledging it should not be considered a permanent solution. “A bed sheet costs ten bucks.”

Rejecting Wood’s suggestion of a drop ceiling, Goodman said such an option would be “horrific,” arguing it would transform the town’s premier community space into a cave while also requiring an expensive lighting reconfiguration.

Residents sound off

During public comment, residents reminded the board that the issue is one of democratic access. Mamakating resident Mary-Allison Farley told officials that if residents are unable to hear proceedings, it effectively defeats the purpose of public access.

“If you don’t have that, what’s the point of saying you have public access to meetings?” she stressed.

Ultimately, the board voted to table approval of New York Soundproofing’s proposal to install acoustic tiling and AV equipment for two weeks, allowing time to consult with local audio experts and explore more cost-effective materials, including acoustic spray foam, before making a final decision.