Montcalm County approves multi-factor authentication for computers that access LEIN

The Montcalm County Board of Commissioners voted Monday to require dual multi‑factor authentication for county computers that access the state law‑enforcement information network known in the meeting as “LEIN.” Vice Chairman Peterson moved to authorize the accounting controller to accept the second option, which limits deployment to machines that access LEIN; the motion carried on a voice vote.

The measure matters because the state has indicated computers with access to LEIN must use enhanced authentication. "It's going to be more of a proactive approach, basically," Brenda, the accounting controller, said during the discussion, explaining the county had options to deploy authentication either to all county machines or only those that access LEIN. The board chose the latter to limit initial cost and user impact.

During the discussion commissioners pressed on timing, recurring costs and implementation details. Brenda said the state expected LEIN computers to have the authentication by Jan. 17 (a date discussed during the meeting) and that deploying the product would add recurring monthly charges for licensing and professional services. Commissioners reviewed the pricing shown in the packet: per‑unit recurring amounts and an estimated monthly total; the controller summarized the monthly totals discussed in the packet as roughly $687 for the full‑county option and $354 for the LEIN‑only option.

Commissioners asked about how users would authenticate. Brenda described options that included phone‑based authentication or hardware tokens for certain users, saying some jail staff may use tokens while others would authenticate using an app. "Now it's anytime you turn your computer on, then you're gonna have to authenticate," she said.

The board approved the motion to authorize the accounting controller to accept the second option — deploying dual multi‑factor authentication on county computers that have access to LEIN — by voice vote. The board did not record an individual roll call in the transcript; the meeting’s earlier roll call showed seven commissioners present.

The decision limits initial rollout to LEIN‑connected machines while leaving the door open to broader deployment later if required by state policy or insurance requirements, a point several commissioners noted. The controller said IT preferred the proactive approach and that adding licenses to new machines would be handled through the county’s standard software provisioning process.

Implementation and any recurring costs will be handled through the county’s IT and accounting processes; the board did not set a separate funding appropriation during the meeting.

The board moved on to other agenda items after the vote, including the budget calendar and other routine business.