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Town moves IT in‑house, budgets $350,000 for school network switches with expected 60% reimbursement
Summary
The town told the committee it replaced an outside IT consultant with a full‑time director to save money and included $35,000 in the operating budget for tech displays; a separate capital request for school network switches was estimated at $350,000 with an expected 60% federal reimbursement.
Officials told the Finance Committee they moved from paying a high‑hourly consultant to hiring a full‑time IT director and expect net savings because the professional‑services line has been reduced significantly.
"We're paying $50 an hour and getting substantially more hours and a more highly trained and qualified person," the Town Manager said of the in‑house arrangement, adding that the consultant line was reduced by roughly $78,000 while the full‑time salary increased from a part‑time rate.
The committee asked what remains in "professional services": officials said the budget still covers vendor‑purchased hardware and software such as government‑grade firewalls and switches that must be procured through approved vendors and the bid process.
Capital request for network switches: The school district described a gross capital estimate of about $350,000 for network switches; Norton recently qualified for a higher federal reimbursement category and officials said they expect roughly 60% reimbursement through the applicable program. The district noted that bids will require site visits and federal approval for the reimbursement.
Ending: Committee members emphasized standardization across town equipment and asked that bids and specs be coordinated to ensure townwide compatibility. The committee recommended the town circulate the capital committee recommendations and bid materials ahead of the next meeting.
