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Tri Cities IT offers cybersecurity, cameras and AV upgrades; town manager and staff to review quotes
Summary
Tri Cities IT representatives briefed the Bluff City board on managed IT services, layered cybersecurity and smart surveillance/AV options. The presentation highlighted risks to online payments and the need to meet a state cybersecurity mandate; the company will return quotes and separate proposals for phased implementation.
Representatives from Tri Cities IT, including Zach Carlos and Cody Love, presented a suite of managed IT and cybersecurity services, plus smart surveillance and audiovisual upgrades, to the Bluff City Board of Mayor and Aldermen.
Carlos described the town's current IT infrastructure as "old and outdated" and said the municipality lacks a documented cybersecurity and disaster-recovery plan. He warned that without meeting cyber-insurance compliance standards the town cannot process online payments and may be at heightened risk from ransomware. "Ransomware... it's one of those things where something gets in your system, everything gets locked down," Carlos said, describing incidents at nearby school systems.
Tri Cities IT offered a layered cybersecurity approach, onsite server and cabling cleanup, coordination with third-party software vendors, and low-voltage security work under a sister company, Digital Watchtower. Carlos said the firm can stage upgrades in increments to match municipal priorities and budget constraints and that it will provide separate quotes for cybersecurity, cameras, and board-meeting AV. He told the board Tri Cities IT could dramatically reduce telephone costs based on comparable client work: "we cut it down by, like, 75%."
Board members asked about timetable and costs. The town manager confirmed an Axon body-camera kickoff is scheduled and said the department has received the body cameras; Tri Cities IT noted it has experience installing Axon systems. The presenter said he will deliver proposals to the town manager next week and that cybersecurity work was being considered a priority for the town because of an approaching state requirement referenced during the meeting.
The presentation included a demonstration of smart surveillance features (motion alerts, two-way audio, automated searches by vehicle or appearance) and optional add-ons such as automated weapon detection and facial recognition. The presenters acknowledged that facial-recognition capabilities are regulated and would be an optional add-on if the board chose to pursue it.
No formal board action was taken. The town manager and staff will review proposals and follow up with Tri Cities IT and other vendors; the board directed staff to prioritize cybersecurity work needed for online payment processing and to bring quotes back for consideration.
