Court approves Netsync/Cisco support contract after public questions about election-system interfaces

Williamson County Commissioners Court approved a DIR cooperative-contract renewal with Netsync Network Solutions for Cisco Smart Net hardware support and Cisco DNA software licenses in the total amount of $241,944 on March 24.

The contract was presented as an annual renewal for network hardware support and licensing and passed on a unanimous voice vote. Several public commenters had raised election-security concerns prior to the vote and asked the court to require written certification from county IT staff identifying which Cisco devices interface with the county’s election-management system.

Laurie Gallagher told the court she supports funding the district attorney's investigative staff but expressed concern about outside counsel and county contracts involving network equipment. Regarding the Netsync/Cisco contract specifically she asked the court "to condition approval of this contract on a written certification from your IT director, Richard Simple, identifying which Cisco devices interface with your election management system and confirming they are configured and maintained exclusively by county personnel." Gallagher noted the election management system vendor ES&S installs and configures Cisco devices for many customers and urged clarity about who maintains devices that could be part of election infrastructure.

Jim Dillon, a public commenter, also questioned large contract amounts and the county’s approach to public involvement and transparency around vendor spending.

The court voted to approve the Netsync/Cisco support contract 5–0. The record does not include staff certification on specific device interfaces; Gallagher asked the court to condition approval on written confirmation from county IT staff but the motion passed without that precondition recorded in the meeting.