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IT director presses council to reauthorize cybersecurity position after six-month vacancy

3411195 · May 21, 2025

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Summary

Carlos Castillo, Lawrence IT director, said a cybersecurity position has remained vacant more than six months and must be reapproved by council before it can be filled; councilors urged updating the job description and ordinance to ensure qualified hires.

Carlos Castillo, the city’s information-technology director, told the Budget & Finance Committee that the department is operating short-handed and that a dedicated cybersecurity hire is needed to protect municipal systems.

Castillo said the cybersecurity position has been vacant for more than six months and, per city legal counsel, must return to the council for reapproval before the position can be re-posted and filled. “I do have the need of the cybersecurity. So, I’m hoping to get that filled as soon as possible,” Castillo said.

Councilors pressed for stronger job qualifications and, if necessary, ordinance updates so the position’s duties and minimum qualifications match the security needs of the city. Council President Giovanni Rodriguez asked that the committee revisit the job description and relevant ordinance after the budget process so the city can recruit a qualified candidate rather than a personal referral.

Why it matters: Councilors framed the role as critical infrastructure: vice chair Vivian Marmol said IT is “the foundation of every single agency,” and cautioned the committee that inadequate staffing places the city at risk if key systems or communications fail. Castillo told the committee he has been carrying some cybersecurity tasks himself while also serving as director.

Ending: The committee asked administration and human resources to return with a reworked job description and, if necessary, an ordinance change after the budget is complete; committee members emphasized they will review the qualifications before reauthorization.