[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6615807,"mediaKeyId","2857873-748f0d3084171adf3df56f9853d4a994","parentId",2857873,"title","IT director outlines $3.3M annual program, cybersecurity upgrades and NextGen 911 transition","audioSeconds",2906,"startMs",6427000,"endMs",9333000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2857873-748f0d3084171adf3df56f9853d4a994&start=6427&end=9333","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2857873-748f0d3084171adf3df56f9853d4a994/thumbnail_6427000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6615807/Redondo-Beach-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/IT-director-outlines-33M-annual-program-cybersecurity-upgrades-and-NextGen-911-transition","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6615807-550d685f90f84f819cd7eab6cce5c153/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160144&Signature=SX6HJa7ggoNop52JrYcauvshRBPyDEBIHCVVXvuAQecYLG4fdGPwfkbwVA35utkdrshxdegoMwC5PJQUYENMFGbq1GzeuHLg0a3uKDbWPLdYZYhIBuC-aP0XOk5a-cajCArfKawEgGw~tDf~-Glfzg5QZtoee4KktVXgZeOkfGWd6~LmNgRTcyYqWseU5NKtnZ4uqlD0zuMK-80X4i1YmnBB4qalhGULWpU1p7oy0REj2UE7UfQsPf9Qxif0b9Ja0G6wBKnc06PLkOpTRhTjwju~bjwSErKiSlV5pTEK0SYYx5QXAdxQHzrcDDPYIG3yr2CfNDCUeyR5DS1mqXSKDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","City of Redondo Beach, CA","date","2025-04-03T05:09:48.123Z","article","Mike Cook, the city’s IT director, told the Budget & Finance Commission on April 15 that the Information Technology internal‑service fund runs approximately $3.3 million a year, supports roughly 700 user accounts and eight full‑time IT staff, and covers a 10‑year replacement plan and day‑to‑day operations.

Why it matters: IT operations underpin city services — from permitting and finance systems to police dispatch and the NextGen 9‑1‑1 transition. Commissioners said they wanted clearer data integration and easier public‑facing search on the city website.

Key items from the presentation

Budget and staffing

Cook described two core budget buckets: the IT replacement program (periodic, lumpy costs tied to hardware lifecycle) and the annual core operating budget. He said the city smooths large replacement costs by leasing major items (computers, servers, copiers) and by projecting replacement needs up to 10 years ahead. He reported roughly 550 heavy IT users and roughly 650 desktops and laptops in inventory.

Cybersecurity and backups

Cook outlined the city’s cybersecurity program: quarterly training and monthly phishing exercises for staff; third‑party audits; antivirus and gateway protections; FortiGate firewalls and a cybersecurity partner (Tech Refresh); and a recent investment in Rubrik backup appliances that replicate servers between City Hall and the police data center and backup encrypted copies off‑site. He said the combination of layered tools, training and an incident‑response relationship with consortium partners reduces risk.

NextGen 9‑1‑1 and dispatch

Cook said the city is replacing legacy 9‑1‑1 equipment and will be among the first local agencies to move to voice‑over‑IP NextGen 9‑1‑1. He explained that the state (Cal OES) funds primary 9‑1‑1 circuits and that the city’s dispatch computers and CAD systems interface with the city network; Cook said the planned VoIP migration will enable automatic failover and more flexible routing of 9‑1‑1 calls across the state in a major outage.

Applications and services

Cook listed major systems the city depends on: Microsoft for email and Office licensing, Tyler ERP (Munis) for the city’s general ledger and permitting, a content‑management system with about 3 million documents, outdoor Wi‑Fi coverage at the lagoon and boardwalk, and 17 facilities linked by a city dark‑fiber ring. He said the city averages roughly 200 IT service requests per month.

Commissioner requests and next steps

Commissioners asked for improved data‑integration tools for cross‑department analytics and easier public website search. Cook said the city is piloting and evaluating analytics tools — an example he cited was a police analytics platform (Peregrine) that aggregates many datasets for operational use. He also said the city is exploring light project‑management tools to help coordinate contractors on large capital efforts.

Cook summarized risk: “55% of information security incidents are caused by people,” he said, and defended the city’s blend of training, monitoring and third‑party partnerships as a practical defense against phishing, ransomware and other threats.

Ending

Commissioners unanimously moved to receive and file the presentation; Cook said he would follow up with the commission on specific items — a template for CIP data, website search improvements and any further requests for analytics or project‑management tools.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","REDONDO BEACH BUDGET & FINANCE COMMISSION - APRIL 2, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","IT Director Mike Cook briefed the commission on the city’s information‑technology operations, a roughly $3.3 million annual budget, a 10‑year replacement plan for devices, investments in backups and cybersecurity, and a project to migrate 9‑1‑1 services to a VoIP NextGen system with improved failover.","taxTitle","Redondo Beach City, Los Angeles County, California","taxId",4669,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6615811,"City manager previews cautious 2025–26 budget, highlights Measure FP timeline, reserves and homelessness funding",5562,906000,6468000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2857873-748f0d3084171adf3df56f9853d4a994&start=906&end=6468","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2857873-748f0d3084171adf3df56f9853d4a994/thumbnail_906000.jpg","/articles/6615811/Redondo-Beach-City/Los-Angeles-County/California/City-manager-previews-cautious-202526-budget-highlights-Measure-FP-timeline-reserves-and-homelessness-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6615811-8e0dbbe7b1de29a5c536817d8addf99c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771160144&Signature=E5iiylpmOHne-FBQmOvFu2l-ZHMej78E1eTZv06VEJn-Ye8KkxrIdMCTDu5Qkxc6JohMa0YE2INFPXQdU7rTYI~L5bCz8PZtlhGvJoybRZ8CRlNHEStpNnt75HvX414y-ev9ji2QXyB-VezwgEqcsjfq6hufa8RC4sFqnbvzBR5XUd04xgWp5kL8KKxFJUL5qEwJWGHJrpWAiIMfGbfynnPnKrdlzbofVTo-UHRLrmHdH~l6-htSsglO~pm9a494z2H-qmGlNLI-mBcvt24uUJLpmUVDy9tJwYRsJIwHfRAAyGB5wRzPy782p3fVOR0muaTuEe8ETTzK6mFqLoH7Qw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City Manager Mike told the Budget & Finance Commission on April 15 that the city will take a conservative approach when proposing the fiscal 2025–26 operating budget, focusing on executing a newly approved public-safety bond program while holding staffing levels steady.

The city manager said the city has engaged financial and bond counsel and is recruiting a program coordinator for the Measure FP bond program; he estimated “shovels in the ground probably…16 to 18 months” if design and approvals proceed smoothly. He said 11 firms submitted proposals for the program coordinator role and the city is hiring part‑time project management support to coordinate the cross‑department effort.

Why it matters: the bond program and capital work will be the largest near‑term budget priority. At the same time, the manager told commissioners the city faces mixed revenue signals — a strong property reappraisal but flat transient‑occupancy and sales taxes — and must be “very judicious” about borrowing and new hires.

Details on bond timetable, capital priorities and revenues

The manager said the city has selected municipal financial-advisors and bond counsel and expects to approve a disclosure‑counsel retainer in mid‑April. He described a multi‑department delivery team (police, fire, public works, IT and the city manager’s office) and said capital work will be a central focus in FY 2025–26. He repeated his estimate that substantial construction is likely more than a year away, after design development and procurement are complete.

On revenues, the manager said reassessment added about 5.3% in property tax value year over year, but cautioned that sales and hotel taxes are stagnating amid national economic headwinds. He estimated preliminary, conservative general‑tax growth in the $2 million to $3 million range year‑over‑year — roughly 2–3% — but said staff will “drill into” revenue data during budget development.

Capital and leasing updates

The manager reported upbeat leasing in the harbor and Pier Plaza, and said the city approved an option agreement allowing Port Royal Marina to invest about $20,000,000 to rebuild and reconfigure its marina and promenade. He said a 30,000‑square‑foot site (the former “fun factory” space) is moving toward marketing for a family‑oriented use, and a market‑hall concept is under discussion for underused commercial space near the International Boardwalk.

Labor agreements, pension costs and reserves

On operating costs, the manager said the city must absorb multi‑year bargaining agreements and an upcoming unfunded accrued liability (UAL) payment. He identified a roughly $4.2 million UAL payment expected next fiscal year and described the city’s reserve structure:

- An “economic contingency” reserve set by policy at 8.33% of general‑fund expenditures (one month of operating expenditures). The manager described that fund as the city’s top‑line contingency and said the city has historically been reluctant to draw it down.
- A separate reserve often described as a “pension reserve” or pension/salary‑benefit set‑aside, about $8 million today, which the manager said is more fungible and has been used and restored in past years.

When commissioners pressed on reserves and whether the city should target a larger percent (for example 20–25%), the manager said the city has built multiple buckets over time — equipment replacement, pension/salary reserve and economic contingency — and that aggregating those buckets brings the city closer to widely‑recommended reserve targets. He also flagged implementation risks: a regional rebuild after major fires could raise construction costs and labor competition, affecting local bond and transportation projects.

Homelessness programs and grant funding

Commissioners pressed for a consolidated accounting of homelessness spending. The manager and finance staff said most operational costs for the city’s pallet‑shelter work and homeless court have been grant‑funded to date, and that only a small set of general‑fund costs (notably a housing navigator position and a supervisor position approved by council) have been incorporated into ongoing operations.

The manager said the pallet‑shelter operator and many wrap‑around services are covered by external grants (he referenced a Health Net private grant and state/county grant streams) and that the city has not spent general‑fund dollars on shelter operations to date. He acknowledged commissioners’ requests for a single consolidated report that would list homelessness‑related contracts, grants and the city’s exposure if external funding ended.

Cannabis licensing and other revenue items

The manager confirmed the council has an adopted, updated cannabis ordinance that embeds RFP selection criteria; the staff will bring an RFP and license‑selection item back to council in the coming months. He said city revenue estimates for cannabis licensing range roughly from $400,000 to $800,000 in potential sales‑tax increment depending on final implementation.

Appointments and staffing item

During the meeting the manager announced he had appointed Stephanie Meyer as the city’s finance director. Commissioners congratulated Meyer; staff explained the budget book and the annual timeline for delivery to council (charter deadline mid‑May; council adopts the budget in June after hearings).

What commissioners asked for and next steps

Commissioners asked staff for a compact, user‑friendly template that would summarize homelessness‑related spending for the fiscal year (grant amounts, contracts or purchase orders paid from those grants, and any general‑fund exposure). Finance staff said they will provide a template and aim to present a populated summary after fiscal‑year close; staff suggested early August as a realistic date to deliver consolidated FY‑end figures and a template earlier if feasible.

Commissioners also asked for clearer long‑term capital planning and cost estimates for projects in the five‑year capital improvement program, and for multi‑year pension and contribution history. Staff said the upcoming proposed budget and CIP materials will include further detail and will be presented to the commission in the joint capital meeting scheduled for April 28.

Ending

The city manager closed by reiterating that the proposed FY 2025–26 budget will emphasize execution of the Measure FP bond program, preserving current service levels where possible and using reserves cautiously while staff refines revenue and expenditure estimates.

","At an April meeting of the Budget & Finance Commission, the city manager outlined a cautious operating-budget approach for fiscal 2025–26, previewed the public safety bond (Measure FP) timeline and urged careful use of reserves while staff compiles a consolidated accounting of homelessness-related spending and grants.","actionData","errors"]

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IT director outlines $3.3M annual program, cybersecurity upgrades and NextGen 911 transition

City manager previews cautious 2025–26 budget, highlights Measure FP timeline, reserves and homelessness funding