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 the mayor to sign the agreement; the motion passed 5-0.

Tyler Technologies cloud hosting and IT assignment

Councilors authorized Addendum No. 3 with Tyler Technologies to move the city's Munis/EERP financial systems to cloud hosting. The total amount cited at the meeting was $476,349.75. The council also approved using $89,573 from a previously established IT assignment of fund balance to help cover the cost; after that transfer the mayor reported a remaining assignment balance of $54,418.95. The motions passed by unanimous vote.

Participatory budgeting agreements and community grants

The council authorized the mayor to sign participatory-budgeting agreements for four projects already approved by the council in December 2024: Franklin Community Center (food pantry garden revitalization), Saratoga Children's Literacy League (book bus), the SOBO Conservancy of Saratoga (pollinator garden phase 2), and the Children's Museum at Saratoga (art and STEM enrichment programming). City staff said the agreements require annual reports and give the city authority to terminate if terms are not met. The council noted the agreements do not create a business relationship beyond the grant terms. The motions passed 5-0.

Ice rink, Civilian Review Board training and records grant

The council approved an amendment to the 2025 capital budget to add $25,000 to the Vernon Ice Rink rehabilitation project to replace the rink's sound system; the capital amendment was approved 5-0. Councilors also approved $6,143 to pay for a 40-hour mediation certification course from the National Association of Certified Mediators for Civilian Review Board members; the cost will be covered from a police-reform fund assignment. The motion passed 5-0.

Mayor Stafford moved for authorization to apply for the New York State Archives Local Government Records Management Improvement Fund (LGRMIF) for a document conversion and access-management project to digitize planning/mylar records. Staff said the grant could be up to $75,000 and would pay for scanning, indexing, quality control and import into the city's electronic content management system. The council approved the authorization to apply by unanimous vote.

Contracts, invoices and settlements

The council approved several vendor contracts and invoice payments brought forward by department directors, including: a memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the city and the police lieutenant's PBA (approved 5-0), a contract addendum with Firematic Supply Company for fire vehicle service (not to exceed $40,000), a contract for ammunition with Eagle Point Gun (amount cited in the meeting record), an emergency vehicle operations course agreement with the Town of Colonie EVOC track (at $300 per day), a medical director contract for the fire department with Dr. Jason Bernard at $10,000 annually, and alarm-system monitoring for fire stations (Mahoney Notify Plus, $876). The council also authorized payment of multiple invoices related to the East Side Fire Station and other municipal projects; those motions passed by recorded unanimous votes.

Tax settlement and budget notes

The council approved a stipulation and order of settlement in ATHLECARE LLC v. Board of Assessment Review and the city assessor that included a refund of $5,286.85 for 2023 and a 2024 tax-bill reduction of $6,294 for parcel 165.1-22-1.2. The mayor said that matter was discussed in executive session before the vote.

Other approvals and administrative items

Councilors authorized a county contract for Nutrition and Transportation services through the Saratoga County Department of Aging and Youth Services (subcontracted service for dining/home-delivery meals Jan. 1'Dec. 31, 2025), waivers (a $50 special-event fee waived for Sustainable Saratoga's Tree Toga), acceptance of a donation of planting funds from Sustainable Saratoga for city tree plantings, and multiple budget transfers and payroll/benefit adjustments to cover overtime and staffing needs. Several of these measures were recorded as passing 5-0.

Votes at a glance

- MOA: City and police lieutenant's PBA — approved (vote: 5-0). - Vernon Ice Rink capital amendment — add $25,000 for sound system — approved (5-0). - CrowdStrike intergovernmental agreement (3-year donated services) — authorized (5-0). - Tyler Technologies Addendum No. 3 (cloud hosting) — authorized ($476,349.75 total); use $89,573 from IT assignment — approved (5-0). - LGRMIF grant application (records digitization, up to $75,000) — authorized to apply (5-0). - Civilian Review Board mediation training — $6,143 (police-reform assignment) — approved (5-0). - Participatory-budgeting agreements (four nonprofits) — authorized to sign (5-0). - ATHLECARE LLC stipulation and order of settlement — refund $5,286.85 (2023) and reduce 2024 bill $6,294 — approved (5-0). - Saratoga County Nutrition & Transportation agreement (Jan. 1'Dec. 31, 2025) — authorized (5-0). - Multiple vendor contracts and invoice payments (Firematic Supply, Eagle Point Gun, Town of Colonie EVOC track, Dr. Jason Bernard, Mahoney Notify Plus, MultiMed Billing Services, DLC Electric LLC, BPI Mechanical Services) — authorized or paid (votes recorded as approved, various line items as stated in meeting).

What comes next

Councilors set a public hearing for March 18, 2025 on a proposed water and sewer rate resolution; staff also said the city will continue grant-writing and implementation work tied to the Tyler migration and CrowdStrike onboarding.

The council met in executive session earlier in the meeting on an Article 7 collective-negotiations matter; actions tied to that discussion were recorded when the meeting resumed.