Staff member touts network upgrades, farmers market Wi‑Fi and police data access

A staff member said the city has expanded its high‑speed network to give employees remote access to data and to provide public Wi‑Fi that benefits local vendors and public safety operations. “We all know when the internet goes down and everyone's what? Everything comes to a screeching halt,” the speaker said, adding that monitoring tools alert staff early: “I'd say good 90% of the time I know there's a problem before everyone else does because my board goes red.”

The speaker described several operational benefits of the network extension, saying remote access has reduced support calls and saved employees time when completing routine tasks such as filling out timecards. The upgrades also allow remote reading and monitoring of specific well sites and can surface incidents or potential problems before alarms trigger.

On public safety, the speaker said police mobile data terminals (MDTs) can now connect to the network and receive needed updates in the field. The speaker also described a camera van that can connect “via an umbilical to our high speed network” to upload and download large files used in investigations or coverage.

The speaker highlighted the city’s decision to add Wi‑Fi at the farmers market, saying it “brought more value to community connection.” They said vendors previously relied on personal hotspots, which sometimes delayed sales, and that connecting payment terminals to the city Wi‑Fi reduced transaction problems and improved customer flow.

The presentation repeatedly credited teamwork for the project’s progress. The speaker noted a small IT department and described field crews and other staff stepping in to pull wire and assist with installations. “That's what makes, you know, work fun, is being able to actually enjoy working with the people you're around,” the speaker said.

The presentation did not include a named official, vote, ordinance, or budget detail. No formal action or next procedural steps were recorded during the talk.