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Township approves $38,665 IT modernization contract and ongoing licensing increase
Summary
The Cascade Charter Township board approved a $38,665 one‑time service contract with I3 Business Solutions to migrate core services to the cloud and remove the on‑premises server; trustees were told annual Microsoft licensing costs will increase (packet cites about $21,000).
Cascade Charter Township trustees approved an IT modernization plan on Feb. 25 that the board was told will move the township’s Active Directory to Microsoft Entra, transfer file storage to SharePoint, replace the on‑premises server with cloud backups and add Microsoft Defender for cybersecurity.
Building director Bridal Wilson (introduced earlier in the meeting) presented the packet and said the township’s main server is about five years old and due for replacement. The packet lists a one‑time service cost to I3 Business Solutions of $38,665 and identifies an increase in annual Microsoft licensing and service fees; the presenter and I3 representatives discussed an estimated annual licensing increase of roughly $21,000. The building director said the project and expenditures are included in the township’s 2026 budget.
Trustees asked a series of questions about ongoing licensing costs and vendor accessibility. The I3 representative confirmed the company is based in Grand Rapids and explained the increased licensing is related to Microsoft licensing required to access the Entra solution. Trustee Shipley moved to approve the IT modernization plan as presented; Trustee Rizzi supported the motion and the board voted to approve the plan.
The board’s action authorizes the one‑time expenditure to I3 Business Solutions and the planned transition to cloud services; trustees were told the proposal is intended to strengthen business continuity, provide redundancy and protect vital records against cyber threats.
