Saratoga Springs council approves CrowdStrike cybersecurity support, cloud hosting contract and multiple budget and grant actions

Saratoga Springs City Council on March 4 approved a package of technology, budget and community spending measures, including accepting free CrowdStrike cybersecurity monitoring from New York State partners, authorizing a $476,349.75 cloud-hosting addendum with Tyler Technologies for the city's financial software, and finalizing several participatory-budgeting agreements for local nonprofits.

The actions, taken mostly by unanimous votes, also included budget transfers and capital amendments to cover an additional $25,000 for the Vernon Ice Rink sound-system upgrade, authorization of a $6,143 mediation training program for the Civilian Review Board, approval to seek up to $75,000 from the New York State Archives Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) to digitize archival mylars and maps, and settlement of a tax assessment case for ATHLECARE LLC.

Why it matters: Councilors said the CrowdStrike agreement and the Tyler Technologies cloud move are intended to strengthen data security and continuity for a city that manages financial, permitting and public-safety systems. The participatory-budgeting agreements formalize payments previously approved by voters and set reporting requirements for recipient organizations.

CrowdStrike and IT security

Mayor Stafford presented an intergovernmental agreement through the New York State Office of IT Services and the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to receive three years of CrowdStrike endpoint detection and response services at no cost to the city. "I cannot state this strongly enough. The city is very fortunate to be included in this program," Mayor Stafford said during the meeting. The city's IT systems manager, Jeff Kornick, participated in planning and review, and the donated service was valued at $70,476 for the three-year term. The council voted to authorize…