APPRO-2024-19 : An Appropriation from Free Cash (account # 01-324001) in the amount of $327,210 to the IT Department (#155) for Capital projects.

Transcript (~7 min @ 11:50)

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▶ 11:49 Maya Jamaleddine: Um, we have first item on our agenda appropriation 2024 dash 19, and appropriation from pre-cash account number zero one dash 32 4 0 0 1 in the amount of, um, 327 210 to the IT department. Number 1 55 for capital projects. And we have, um, Mr. Uh, Monta. Montalto. Thank you. Did I say your name correctly? You did. Thank you. Thank you. And, uh, the mayor with us.

▶ 12:27 Jen Grigoraitis: Thank you, Madam Chair. Good evening everyone. Um, we are here tonight to talk about three IT projects that are encompassed in this order. And just before I turn it over to Deputy Director Montalto, who can really provide you with the technical expertise, um, just as sort of where we're at in the, in free cash as we've moved into the capital projects portion of the expenditures. So that's a lot of what you have before you tonight. And obviously I know in my time on the council, we've had many conversations about it. It is a, um, portion of the city whose obligations has grown enormously over the past 10 years. I think many of you are well aware that prior to the pandemic we were a three to one, um, for devices in schools. And then almost immediately switched to one-to-one plus providing every city employee with a laptop. So the amount of hardware that's being managed and then all of the necessary infrastructure to keep that functioning and secure continues to grow as do the cost related to that. I know you sense the theme in my speeches. Um, so we're here tonight to talk about the three projects that we're hoping to accomplish this summer that will hopefully improve the city and school's IT infrastructure. I will turn it over.

▶ 13:36 Speaker 6: Hi everyone. My name's Joe Montalto, deputy IT Director. Um, I have know some of you password resets and getting emails on your phone for the rest of you. It was really nice to meet everybody. Um, make this quick, 'cause I see the agenda's pretty long. Uh, the IT department would formally like to request an appropriation from free cash for the amount of $327,210. This amount will cover three separate projects. First project being a switch refresh project at Melrose Veterans Memorial Middle School. The second project being we're very excited about is doing a wireless upgrade for the city, for the district. And third project will be the install installation of external security cameras at the high school. Thank you for your support and consideration on these items right now. I'll answer any questions that you may have.

▶ 14:24 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Anyone from my colleague would like to have to ask questions.

▶ 14:29 Speaker 5: Um, Councillor Stewart.

▶ 14:31 Speaker 7: Thank you Madam Chair. And thank you Mr.

▶ 14:33 Robb Stewart: Anta for being here. And Madam Mayor.

▶ 14:40 Robb Stewart: Um, so when you do this work, is there any outsourcing the work or is it all gonna be insourced?

▶ 14:45 Speaker 6: Uh, some of the work will be outsourced, um, through our state, uh, state contract, uh, vendors. Uh, these vendors have all been vetted by the state and we have worked with them in the past.

▶ 14:57 Robb Stewart: Okay, great. And, uh, no issues on overrun on any of these? Uh, fairly straightforward in terms of the work that you're gonna do?

▶ 15:06 Speaker 6: Absolutely. Very straightforward and everything will be completed under budget. Probably a right on budget actually.

▶ 15:13 Robb Stewart: Okay. And I'm gonna bring it up 'cause I bring it up every time. Uh, so what, where do we stand outside of the Capital project for cybersecurity and how does that relate to some of the work that you're doing here? Great Question. Particularly for the wireless upgrade, that's a concern.

▶ 15:32 Speaker 6: Great question. So for cybersecurity, while it's not included in any of these capital projects, it is definitely on our agenda right now. We are leveraging with, um, cybersecurity training with RUM and Forster. It's our, which is our insurance provider. Um, through them we are coming up with a plan to not only have the entire city enroll in a training, but we also we're gonna roll it out to school. Me, uh, school committee, our school members and staff in the fall.

▶ 15:58 Robb Stewart: Okay. And is it, is it, um, limited to training on the cybersecurity front right now? Right

▶ 16:03 Speaker 6: Now it is limited to training.

▶ 16:05 Robb Stewart: Okay. Any future plans for being a little more comprehensive in that area?

▶ 16:10 Jen Grigoraitis: I think it's something we always wanna be more comprehensive about. Obviously we need to flesh out the funding to deliver that. Um, I do know that we have several members of the department who are going to the State's conference put on by the state IT department on cybersecurity. So we're trying to plug into the, and leverage those resources to help us figure out where to go next.

▶ 16:28 Robb Stewart: Right. If there's any, any state money that we could try to capture to Mm-Hmm. Help with that. It's, um, particularly when we have, uh, an upgrade on networks and, and so forth. I mean, that's, that's where sometimes the risk can pro get. Right. So any, alright. Thank you. Thank you both. Thank you. Thank you Madam Chair.

▶ 16:47 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Anyone else? Councilor Vandiver.

▶ 16:53 Kimberly Vandiver: Thank you Madam Chair and thank you Mayor. Mr. Montalto. Uh, I, I was just curious, I saw in the school's budget book that they were talking about security cameras at some of the other schools. And I was curious, as a general matter, does that funding come through the schools? Does it come through? It does it depend on the project?

▶ 17:09 Speaker 6: Um, in the past, historically, it has all come through the city through free cash. Um, we have just finished upgrading the security cameras at three elementary schools. And this would be to, uh, excuse me, to align the high school security cameras with everybody else in the district. So high school right now is the only one that doesn't have security cameras external. Um, and we're looking to get that all unified.

▶ 17:39 Maya Jamaleddine: Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Anyone else?

▶ 17:43 Maya Jamaleddine: I have question. Councilor gpe?

▶ 17:46 Mark Garipay: Uh, thank you Madam Chair. I was just making a motion to recommend for passage.

▶ 17:50 Maya Jamaleddine: Second. Okay. We have a motion, uh, to recommend made by Councilor Repe. Seconded by Councillor Ro. Um, Mr. Clerk,

▶ 18:00 Speaker 4: Vice Chair Williams? Yes. Councillor Repe? Yes. Councillor Stewart? Yes. Councillor Chetty? Yes. Councillor Brem. Yes. Councillor Hamilton? Yes. Councillor Vandiver. Yes. Councillor Romanul. Yes. Councillor Nicaro. Yes.

▶ 18:18 Speaker 4: President Elli? Yes. And Chair Jamine? Yes. That's unanimous.

▶ 18:25 Maya Jamaleddine: Thank you. Um, next we have on our agenda and appropriation from free cash. Account number zero one dash 32 4 0 0 1 in the amount of 11,332 and 50, um, to Memorial Hall. Uh, number 693 for hvac, um, repairs. And we have also Mayor. And, um, Mrs. Uh, golden.