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County IT outlines cybersecurity grants and phone-system replacement; commissioners told grants reimburse costs
Summary
County IT briefed commissioners on three cybersecurity-related grants, an upcoming phone-system replacement and new fiber availability; IT said the grants reimburse costs and recommended vendor partnerships and phased implementation.
County information-technology staff briefed the Board of County Commissioners on a set of cyber and network projects tied to three SLGCP grants and on plans to replace the county’s aging telephone system.
The IT presenter said the three awarded grants cover cybersecurity program implementation, replacement of Windows 10 machines that cannot be upgraded to Windows 11, and network-infrastructure improvements. “These have to be completed by March of ’26,” the presenter said, noting the grants are reimbursement grants and that the county will pay upfront and submit receipts for reimbursement.
IT staff described ongoing work to log and close internal IT tickets, move file-server redundancy and restore backups, and support county departments during recent office moves. The presenter said IT has been evaluating voice-over-IP phone systems and two vendors; one vendor’s proposal will be discussed this week. He warned that the county’s current Toshiba phone system is near end-of-life and relies on copper lines, making a failure risky because it covers both the courthouse and the judicial center.
On network access, the presenter said a new fiber provider, QuickCom, has run conduit to the campus but needs directional drilling to complete the connection because of rocky soil. If installed, QuickCom service would likely reduce the county’s current monthly internet and service costs compared with the existing reseller. The presenter said moving to a modern VoIP phone system and new fiber could lower the county’s about-$1,200-a-month communications bill.
Commissioners asked about 911 and dispatch integration. IT staff said some phone-system vendors decline to handle 911 integrations and that the county’s call-routing arrangement (incoming emergency calls initially routed to either Independence or Coffeyville and then transferred) complicates the procurement; vendor selection will include 911 compatibility discussions.
IT staff requested continued board support for the cybersecurity program and noted a local-government cybersecurity summit in Wichita that IT staff and the county cybersecurity lead plan to attend. The board gave direction to continue vendor evaluations and to proceed with grant-funded cybersecurity work; no formal additional appropriation was requested at the meeting.
Ending: Commissioners directed IT to continue vendor evaluations, pursue QuickCom availability and coordinate phone-system replacement to avoid interruption to 911 and judicial-center telephony.
