Bonner County approves $79,840 contract, contingency funds for Sheriff’s IT migration to Microsoft

The Bonner County Board of County Commissioners voted Jan. 13 to rescind a December memo and approve a $79,840.11 contract with 1T1 Consulting to migrate the Sheriff’s Office from Google to Microsoft’s M365 platform.

Sheriff Darryl Wheeler told the board the migration is intended to ensure continued operational integrity, cybersecurity, compliance, data retention and compatibility with countywide IT standards. ‘‘The Bonner County Sheriff’s Office would like the permission to enter in a contract with 1T1 Consulting to migrate Google workspace to M365,’’ Wheeler said, listing professional-services and license costs that total $79,840.11.

Commissioners discussed a previously approved December 9 memo that, they said, contained incorrect funding details. Nate Adams of the Bonner County Prosecutor’s Office advised that rescinding the prior order and replacing it with the corrected memo was the appropriate course. ‘‘Rescinding that prior order and then replacing with this order would be the appropriate course of action,’’ Adams said.

The board approved an allocation of $79,840.11 from the Justice Fund Contingency to pay the one-time conversion. Prosecutor’s office and staff review indicated the contingency held approximately $450,000 and that prior annual contingency spending averaged about $67,000; board discussion noted the requested allocation would leave several hundred thousand dollars unspent in the contingency.

Sheriff Wheeler said the conversion covers dispatch, records management and other justice-related technology programs and does not establish an ongoing operational cost beyond annual licensing and support already budgeted.

The board approved the contract and funding by roll-call vote and authorized the chair to sign the administrative agreement. The migration and any implementation steps will be managed by the Sheriff’s Office and county IT staff under the approved contract.