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City IT seeks funding to replace aging hardware, shore up cybersecurity and pilot AI over 15 months
Summary
The Information & Technology department told the Finance Committee it will spend FY2026 funds on hardware replacement, expanded cybersecurity, an internship expansion and a measured rollout for municipal AI tools while continuing radio and communications investments for public safety.
The City of Wilmington's Information & Technology (IT) department asked the finance committee to support a FY2026 operating plan that increases equipment and consultant lines to replace aging devices, expand cybersecurity and pilot limited artificial-intelligence tools for city staff.
Director Desmond May told council the department's operating request totals about $11.6 million, an increase of roughly $400,000 from FY2025. The request includes line-item increases for field PC replacements, public-safety workstation upgrades and communications upgrades for EMS and police, and a reallocation that trades a webmaster position for an application support specialist.
May said the city is spending roughly 10 percent of its IT budget on cybersecurity and has treated ransomware preparedness as a top priority for more than a decade. "It's not as much…
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