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Dubuque IT highlights cybersecurity, Copilot AI rollout and GIS projects in FY2027 budget presentation
Summary
The IT department told the council it plans to continue cybersecurity work, seek federal/state grants for cyber hygiene, expand AI adoption (Microsoft Copilot to more staff), and complete GIS projects including a tree inventory and a cart‑billing audit that identified about 2,100 mismatches (~$160,000 revenue potential).
The Information Technology Department presented the FY2027 budget and several operational priorities Thursday night, emphasizing cybersecurity hardening, expanded AI tools for staff productivity and a variety of GIS and data‑governance projects.
Joe Pregler, CIO, reported the department is supporting major enterprise initiatives, including the HRIS implementation and the public‑safety software rollout. Pregler said IT has 17.25 FTEs and highlighted FY26 work such as the 911 center move and city‑wide wireless upgrades.
Timothy Krieger, the city’s new chief information security officer, presented a threat update and priorities. Krieger cited an FBI report that 2025 saw a 26% year‑over‑year increase in cybercrime and recommended layered defenses—multi‑factor authentication, regular patching, backups and tabletop exercises. He also said the city will pursue the state and local cybersecurity grant program when it becomes available and requested a network security risk assessment as a CIP item.
Braden Daniels described data governance steps and the rollout of Microsoft Copilot. Pregler and Daniels said the city rolled out Copilot to about 100 employees initially and is seeing usage increase (an 11.3% average monthly rise in interactions since December), with administrative professionals and power users benefitting in document work, email search and code snippets.
Nicki Rosemeier, GIS coordinator, summarized GIS projects including a consolidated tree inventory and a large audit of tipper cart records. She said staff found roughly 2,100 customer records where billed cart size did not match the field inventory; correcting those records would represent approximately $160,000 per year if charges were adjusted to current usage. She also noted MS4 inspection tools, contractor use of GIS data, and work to reduce duplicated online GIS layers.
IT requested several recurring and non‑recurring items (an ITSM implementation, asset management, spare device pools) and three CIP entries, including a network security risk assessment and a phased citywide computer/printer replacement. Several council members asked about Copilot data protections and whether city data leaves the enterprise systems; Pregler said the licensed Copilot instance includes enterprise‑grade protections and the city’s AI policy instructs staff not to input personally identifiable information.
Ending: Council accepted the presentation and asked staff to provide additional cost/benefit details for requested recurring items and to coordinate the cyber risk assessment CIP entry with finance for final budget consideration.
