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IT director seeks firewall, recording and chamber AV upgrades to improve security and accessibility
Summary
The city’s IT director presented a multi-year technology lifecycle plan that prioritizes firewall replacement, device refreshes, UPS replacement and upgrades to the commission chamber AV system to improve cybersecurity, recording reliability and accessibility.
Marcus (IT Director) told the commission the city’s top IT priorities for 2026 are a firewall lifecycle upgrade, annual computer-equipment replacement, and replacement of UPS units that support three data centers. The presentation also recommended an upgrade to the commission chambers’ audiovisual systems to improve meeting accessibility and recording reliability.
Marcus said the city’s firewalls will reach end of life in August of the upcoming year and that firewalls provide the network perimeter and first line of defense for city systems. He emphasized a layered cybersecurity approach and urged continued investment in life-cycle replacements of PCs, laptops, printers and servers to avoid running antiquated systems that are harder to maintain and more vulnerable.
On the commission-chambers upgrade, Marcus described the current system as an ad hoc set of add-on components that have produced inconsistent recordings and poor audio for remote participants. He said staff are seeking intuitive, accessible, secure equipment that would let staff operate the room reliably and improve remote participation for people with disabilities; commissioners supported increasing digitization and easier remote access.
Marcus also listed longer-term life-cycle projects through 2030 including routers, edge switches, SAN storage (Elatra), Wi-Fi access points and core switches.
Why it matters: Cybersecurity and reliable public-meeting recordings are operational needs that staff argued must be funded on a predictable life-cycle basis to reduce risk and maintain public access.
Next steps: Staff will include the firewall, UPS and chambers upgrades in the 2026 CIP budget and pursue accessible, scalable systems that reduce recording failures and improve the experience for remote participants.
