Bell County officials have taken significant steps to enhance local infrastructure and cybersecurity during the Commissioner’s Court meeting on December 16, 2024. The court authorized a contract with JPC Construction, Inc., a Texas certified historically underutilized business, to oversee the Bell County Broadband Expansion project. This contract will be billed at a rate of $185 per hour, with a maximum of 540 hours allocated for the project.

In addition to broadband improvements, the court approved several grant awards aimed at bolstering the county's emergency management and cybersecurity capabilities. Notably, a subgrant from the Texas Division of Emergency Management will fund a permanent generator at the Bell County North Annex, amounting to $68,067.05, with a local share of $30,252.95.

The court also accepted multiple cybersecurity grants from the Office of the Texas Governor. These include:

- A $31,500 grant for a cybersecurity infrastructure integrity audit.
- A $34,650 grant for developing a cybersecurity incident response plan.
- A $20,009.29 grant for specialized cybersecurity training.
- A $25,200 grant for multi-factor authentication and mobile device management.
- A substantial $375,840 grant for emergency communications cybersecurity infrastructure.

These cybersecurity initiatives will require various in-kind matches from the county, totaling over $60,000, and will be implemented over the next year.

These decisions reflect Bell County's commitment to improving both its technological infrastructure and its preparedness for emergencies, ensuring a safer and more connected community for residents.