Council authorizes city manager to sign $50,000 cybersecurity grant to upgrade water-plant firewall

The Dallas City Council unanimously authorized the city manager on June 2 to sign a $50,000 cybersecurity grant agreement from the Oregon Department of Emergency Management’s State and Local Cybersecurity Grant Program to upgrade the water-plant firewall.

Public works director Gary Marks told the council the city’s supervisory control system—used to monitor and operate the water plant, including remote control during weekends and after hours—relies on a dated firewall. The awarded grant will pay for an upgrade that county information-systems staff (who support city IS systems) will install and manage. Marks said the grant requires project completion by May 30, 2027; staff estimated the installation would take one to a few months once launched.

Council members asked whether $50,000 would be sufficient; Marks said county IS staff determined the funding amount needed. The council approved a motion authorizing the city manager to sign the grant agreement; the motion passed unanimously.