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Council updates: technology committee, cybersecurity, planning hire, occupancy-tax portal and foot-patrol staffing
Summary
Council members reported a technology committee review of Microsoft Teams, plans to update cybersecurity and consider a BYOD policy, a new planning and zoning director accepted the job (start part time), pilots to use a county occupancy-tax portal, and discussions with the county to reduce officer time spent holding arraignment detainees so foot patrols can be restored.
Council members reported multiple operational updates and personnel matters during the meeting.
Technology and records: The technology committee is researching Microsoft Teams for meeting minutes and broader improvements to documentation and will consult NITCOM and peer communities for best practices. “We looked into several topics... 1 of them is looking at Microsoft Teams for meeting minutes and also for just getting better documentation into the hands of our constituents,” the 3rd Ward council member said.
Cybersecurity and policy: The 3rd Ward council member said the city needs to update its cybersecurity policy, is exploring an "Orbital Fire" proposal for enhanced cybersecurity, and is researching a bring-your-own-device policy to identify best practices for the organization.
Planning and staffing: The chair announced that a candidate has accepted the offer to serve as director of planning and zoning; the hire will begin part time while wrapping up previous commitments and will handle grant writing, zoning-code work and comprehensive-plan implementation. The chair said the city will use the new planner to lead planning and zoning work and to assist the planning and zoning board.
Occupancy-tax process: The chair said they met with county tourism director Heather Bagshaw and local tourism director Amy Collins to pilot using the county’s application portal for occupancy-tax funding so that applicants can apply through a single portal and the council will vote on awards rather than leaving decisions to a small group.
Public safety and MOU: The chair said staffing levels have limited the city’s ability to assign a dedicated downtown foot-patrol officer; when detainees await arraignment and are held locally, an officer is pulled from duty to supervise. The chair said discussions with the county and support from Judge Oakes aim to revive or improve a previous memorandum of understanding, originally signed by former sheriff Bud York and former police chief Tony Lyden, to reduce the burden on city officers.
The chair suggested the labor committee interview applicants for an upcoming judicial appointment. Several operational follow-ups were directed to staff; no formal votes were recorded for these updates in the public transcript.
