Alexandria approves cybersecurity subscription and accounting/water-billing software after recent breach

After a cybersecurity incident that disrupted town systems, Alexandria’s board approved a Winslow Enterprises cybersecurity subscription and the purchase of refurbished desktop computers to replace compromised machines, and later approved an Edmunds enterprise software package to handle water billing and municipal financials.

Staff described the town’s current computer setup as vulnerable and testified that the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation had been involved in incident response. Winslow Enterprises proposed a monthly security subscription (quoted as $797/month for securing the town’s computers) and options to replace current machines with refurbished units (quoted at about $4,493) or new desktops (quoted at about $13,665). The board voted to buy the refurbished machines and approved the monthly subscription.

Separately, staff presented quotes from Edmunds (and a competitor, AccuFund) for water-billing and optional financial modules. Staff said an Edmunds package without financials was quoted at about $29,000 for initial implementation (water and property tax modules) and that ongoing annual costs would be approximately $17,900; the bundled financial option included an additional one-time fee discussed in the packet (the transcript referenced a $13,000 one-time fee and a larger $45,000 package in different exchanges). After questions about scope, costs and potential impacts on staff, the board voted to authorize Edmunds including the financial module. Members discussed whether online services and automation could reduce staff workload for meter and billing work but several emphasized retaining local staff and stated the board was not removing the town’s water clerk (Miss Dora) at this meeting.

Council instructed staff to try to fund purchases from the current fiscal year where possible and to coordinate with the comptroller’s office on budget timing and approvals.