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IT director says firewall, backup power and chambers AV upgrades are priorities to improve security and meeting access
Summary
The IT director outlined a lifecycle replacement program covering firewalls, UPS units, desktop replacements and a planned upgrade to the commission chambers AV to improve cybersecurity, recordings and accessibility for virtual participants.
Leavenworth’s IT director presented the department’s five-year CIP priorities focused on maintaining current, secure technology and improving meeting accessibility.
Marcus (IT Director) said the department’s top priorities for 2026 are a lifecycle upgrade for firewall appliances (first line of defense for network perimeter security), replacement of uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) in the city’s data centers, and the annual computer-equipment replacement program (to avoid very old PCs that cannot run current operating systems). Marcus stressed a layered cybersecurity approach and said firewalls were scheduled for replacement because they reach end of life.
IT’s CIP also proposes an upgrade of the commission chambers’ AV and meeting technology to improve recording reliability, audio quality for callers and in-person attendees, and accessibility for participants with disabilities. Marcus said the chambers project should be “intuitive, easy to use” and “future-proof” to better support hybrid meetings; commissioners remarked about frequent complaints that remote participants cannot hear well.
Staff also listed future lifecycle replacements (routers, switches, storage area network, wireless access points and core switches) across the 2027–2030 window. No formal action was taken; the IT director asked the commission to consider the chamber upgrade a priority to improve public access and recording reliability.
