Committee trims IT line but keeps core security monitoring and backup in place

Presenter (Speaker 3) walked the committee through the IT packet and estimates for ongoing security monitoring and backup. He reported an estimated recurring cost of about $4,800 per month for monitoring and backup and an on‑site Synology appliance price of roughly $19,000 plus onboarding hours.

Committee members discussed options: buying a combined on‑site appliance with off‑site redundancy or prioritizing a cloud‑first model. One staff member said cloud‑first would provide an off‑site copy that protects against physical incidents to the building; Presenter (Speaker 3) said a combined on‑site/off‑site package provides stronger redundancy but costs more up front.

After debate about reserves and device replacement cycles, Speaker 3 moved to reduce contingency and reserves modestly and to remove two Synology hardware items (the motion described ~$12,000 in changes). The committee approved the recommendation by a 5–3 vote and forwarded the reduction as part of the package to the commissioners.

The committee asked budget staff to track the total per‑seat annual cost for IT (including licenses, monitoring and hardware) and to provide clear line items for recurring vs. one‑time costs when the package goes to the commissioners. Staff also flagged that some hardware purchases are contingent on grant awards or later procurement choices.

Ending: The committee approved the motion as a recommendation to the commissioners; staff will include the revised IT figures in the packet for the May public hearing.