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Tech services warns of ransomware risk, pitches FirstNet/Starlink evaluation and paperless‑court upgrades
Summary
Tech Services Director Chad Goodhue told commissioners that county cybersecurity and mobile communications are priorities: staff will evaluate FirstNet, T‑Mobile and Starlink for first‑responder data and tested STARLINK backups; he also outlined ransomware risks, phishing remediation, and the county's investment in OnBase and TrueSign for paperless courts.
Chad Goodhue, director of Walla Walla County Tech Services, gave a broad technology and security briefing at the Nov. 3 commissioners meeting, telling the board that county IT must prioritize both resilience and cost savings.
Goodhue summarized several near‑term projects: a draft AI policy to be presented Dec. 1; a SharePoint/OneDrive migration to reduce expensive SAN storage; and a planned mobile data terminal (MDT) cellular transition in which the county will evaluate T‑Mobile pricing tiers alongside FirstNet (AT&T/Verizon) and Starlink backups. “FirstNet … gives priority service to all first responders,” he said, noting that FirstNet pricing could be about $30 a month for prioritized service, while T‑Mobile offers lower list prices but different coverage tradeoffs.
On cybersecurity, Goodhue warned commissioners about recent high‑profile disruptions — including a statewide outage in Nevada — and explained how ransomware actors operate by stealing credentials and encrypting files. He urged stronger remediation after phishing events, including remedial training and account suspension for repeat offenders, and recommended further hardening steps such as limiting external email access where practical.
On court records, Goodhue described county investments in the OnBase electronic‑records system and TrueSign for signatures, and explained the tradeoffs with Odyssey, the state‑offered solution. He said adopting Odyssey now would risk losing the county’s existing OnBase investment; judges pushing for some state tools reflects competing priorities in the state court system, he said.
What happens next: Tech Services will return with a December update on cellular/FirstNet testing and an AI‑policy draft; IT will continue cybersecurity training and recommend board options for phishing remediation.
Sources: Tech Services presentation by Chad Goodhue at the Nov. 3 Walla Walla County commissioners meeting.
