Board approves one-year cybersecurity upgrade after heated budget discussion

The district’s IT lead, Andy, asked the board to upgrade the district’s Microsoft security package to a higher capacity with additional endpoint detection, patch management and a 24/7 network monitoring appliance. Andy described the upgrade as the "logical next step" to harden defenses after recent regional attacks and asked for an additional $1,764 per month for the service.

Board members and the finance director debated the recurring cost, whether the district should perform a broader IT infrastructure review before committing to a long-term purchase, and how unbudgeted items should be handled. Multiple board members and members of the public cited recent ransomware events to support investing in defenses. The board approved a one‑year purchase by roll call; staff will track the budget impacts and report back as part of monthly finance updates.