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Council hears case to elevate Information Services into standalone department to boost cybersecurity and coordination
Summary
City administration proposed moving Information Services out of Finance into a standalone department, citing a $14.7 million budget, 43 FTEs and improved governance for cyber and cross‑department technology projects; council raised questions and generally supported the change.
City administration asked the Lincoln City Council July 14 to create a standalone Information Services (IS) department by amending municipal code and first amending an interlocal agreement with Lancaster County.
Rick Hoppe, mayor’s office, said the resignation of the former IS division director offered an opportunity to treat IS as a department rather than a division inside Finance. He said IS manages roughly $14.7 million in budgeted resources and about 43 full‑time employees — larger than several existing city departments — and that making IS a department would better align technology decisions with mayoral and council priorities.
“IS’s role in that has only grown,” Hoppe said, adding a standalone department would allow elected boards to approve or deny the mayor’s appointment of an IS director and to have more direct input on technology strategy.
Barb McIntyre, human resources director, told council that creating the department would streamline coordination, accelerate responses to technology issues and help align technology spending with strategic priorities. Joe Downlinger, finance director, said the change improves the city’s cybersecurity posture and standardizes practices across departments.
Councilmembers generally supported the idea in principle. Councilman Doudin said the move recognizes cybersecurity is a technical specialty that belongs at the cabinet level. Councilwoman Washington said she looked forward to IS having “a role at the table on the cabinet level” to ensure consistent policy across departments.
The council heard no public comments on the item during the provided transcript and the item was introduced for consideration. Additional ordinance language to effect the change — amending code sections and the interlocal agreement with Lancaster County — was before council as Items 5C and 5D; the transcript shows presentations and discussion but a final roll call approving the code change is not recorded in the excerpt.
If adopted, the change would create a department with a direct director appointment process, independent budget authority and a clearer leadership role on cybersecurity and enterprise‑wide technology projects.
