Candidates say cybersecurity must be a priority after neighboring attacks

Cybersecurity for city infrastructure drew specific proposals.

John Schwengler said recent local incidents make cybersecurity a growing concern and recommended ensuring safeguards and adequate IT budgeting. Maggie Ahrens said cybersecurity should be considered in the 2050 comp plan and allocation of budget resources, noting an attack on a neighboring city as evidence of a real threat. Scott Wellman proposed commissioning an independent cybersecurity assessment by an outside contractor to identify vulnerabilities and recommended treating prevention as a high-value investment.

None of the candidates proposed an exact procurement schedule or dollar amount during the forum; all urged using staff expertise and outside assessments to guide investment decisions.