Monroe County approves three-year ethical-hacking contract, diversion grant and repeals 30-day encampment notice

Monroe County commissioners on June 4 unanimously approved a three-year cybersecurity agreement to allow contracted ethical hackers to perform simulated attacks and identify vulnerabilities in county systems.

Monroe County Chief Technology Officer Greg Cone described the arrangement as hiring white-hat testers to "go after your systems just the same as any threat actor would do" to discover vulnerabilities and bring them up for remediation. Commissioners emphasized prevention is far less costly than responding to a successful cyberattack.

The board also ratified the county’s 2026–2027 juvenile detention alternatives initiative grant, which will fund local diversion programs. Commissioner Jody Madiraa praised non-carceral alternatives and said prevention programs provide high returns to the community.

The board then discussed and approved resolution 2026-21, which repeals Monroe County’s 30-day notice requirement for homeless-encampment removals because of a state law taking effect July 1. Commissioners said the repeal was required by the new state legislation and does not represent a change in the county’s overall approach to homelessness; Commissioner Julie Thomas expressed concern that the law relies on enforcement without providing resources for housing instability, mental-health care, or substance-use treatment and called the mandate an "unfunded mandate."

All three items passed unanimously. County officials said the cybersecurity testing agreement and the juvenile diversion grant are intended to improve county operations and services; the encampment-notice change follows a state requirement that takes effect July 1.