Yarmouth IT director details CARES‑funded security upgrades, flags aging fiber and redundancy needs
Loading...
Summary
Paul Choffe, Yarmouth’s director of technology, told the finance committee the town used CARES Act funds to patch security gaps, buy 250 laptops and migrate services to Microsoft 365; he warned the town’s Comcast backbone needs replacement and said OpenCape fiber work is scheduled to start soon.
Paul Choffe, the town’s director of technology, told the Town of Yarmouth finance committee on June 8 that an internal IT assessment revealed security gaps and single points of failure that the department has begun to fix.
Choffe said the town used CARES Act funding to install firewalls in several departments, implement two‑factor authentication with Cisco Duo, migrate email and collaboration tools to Microsoft 365 and Teams, and buy 250 standardized laptops to replace aging equipment. "One of the first things we picked up was putting firewalls in at the water department," he said. He estimated CARES‑funded technical projects saved the town on the order of "$750,000 to $800,000." (Amount reported by Choffe and described by him as approximate.)
The IT director said the network was previously “flat,” leaving some buildings able to reach systems they should not, and that the team has segregated networks using Cisco Meraki and added redundant core switches and firewalls so a single device failure will not cripple town services. Choffe described plans to move telephony to cloud voice via Teams for higher availability and to host mission‑critical applications in the cloud.
Choffe warned the committee the town’s internal fiber and Comcast Internet backbone is aging—he said he was getting estimates it could be 15–25 years old—and that the contract with Comcast contains clauses that could leave the town exposed if there is normal wear-and-tear. He said the town currently has two pairs of fiber in some locations and would seek more robust multi‑pair cable (6–12 pair) when running new infrastructure.
On OpenCape, Choffe said supply‑chain delays pushed the schedule but that physical cable work was scheduled to start within weeks, with equipment installation to follow. He said OpenCape and the contractor (Comtech) had placed the town on an upcoming schedule.
On staffing, Choffe said hiring qualified IT talent on Cape Cod is difficult at the current salary and benefits levels; he encouraged the town to review job descriptions and compensation to retain and recruit staff. "Most of the applicants we interviewed were not qualified for what we were looking for," he said, adding the department recently hired a senior technician who was elevated for their experience.
The presentation concluded with Choffe recommending the town consider longer‑term connectivity planning and a careful cost review should the town need to replace its internal Internet (INET) backbone. Committee members asked follow‑up questions about municipal broadband models and potential revenue generation; Choffe said he would examine ownership and managed options and return with more analysis.
The finance committee did not take formal action on IT recommendations at the meeting; Choffe’s presentation will inform capital and operating planning this budget cycle.
