Commissioners OK Cybersecurity Efforts
December 21, 2022 at 1:59 a.m.
By David [email protected]
“Two of them are related to continual cybersecurity enhancements the county is making, and then the third one is for a renewal of a service contract,” he said.
On the first one, Momeyer said the state and other agencies have been recommending the county initiate an employee email phishing, training and testing program. The company they use is KnowBe4 and is a leader in the industry, he said.
“The state is providing access to this through their account for the county so there’s no additional cost for us. I think it’s something we want to do, but to move forward with it I would need your approval to continue the process,” Momeyer said.
In the future, he thinks it will entail the county making some policy changes in the employee handbook, which will be put together.
Commissioner Cary Groninger said this was something he used in his own business. “I think anything we can do to help improve our cybersecurity in the county is a good thing, and training our employees to be able to do that is our first line of defense,” he said.
The Commissioners approved the request.
The second item regarding cybersecurity had to do with Purdue University offering a cybersecurity risk assessment of the county’s current system.
“That’s something we’ve talked about doing for a while, but I’ve never really gotten to that point, and this is something they are also offering free of cost to the counties and other educational institutions, if we so choose to do so,” Momeyer said.
He recommended the county take advantage of the assessment, adding that it would be scheduled as early as possible in the first quarter of 2023.
Groninger asked if he knew how long it would take to do the study. Momeyer said he didn’t know, but once the county got on their schedule, it would probably be a one- to two-week process.
The Commissioners approved the request.
Finally, Momeyer told the Commissioners, “We had an issue the other day where a door security system in the building - we had several doors that would definitely go down. And we found the problem ... but discovered at that time, or were reminded at that time, that we do not have a service and support contract for the equipment. This is equipment provided by Security Automation Systems. We put this process in about three, four years ago, and once the original warranty on that equipment ran out, we did not renew the service and support on that particular set of hardware.”
Momeyer requested that the county look at doing that, and received quotes for one-, two- and three-year prices. One year was for $5,250; two years, $7,640; and three years, $10,185. He recommended the three-year contract as it was the most cost-effective.
Commissioner Bob Conley asked him if it was in his budget, and Momeyer responded it was in the 2023 budget. The Commissioners approved the request.
In other business, the Commissioners approved:
• Renewing an agreement with Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation as presented by county attorney Ed Ormsby. He said it was the same agreement as last year and it covers the calendar year of 2023.
• An agreement between the county and the city of Warsaw for the city to monitor two of the county’s parking lots, as presented by county administrator Marsha McSherry. One parking lot is on and around the former Munson car lot at the corner of Lake and Fort Wayne streets, and the other is the county’s lot south of the Old Jail Museum on Indiana Street. The Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety approved the agreement on Friday, which is for a period of four years.
• An agreement with the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County for services the AWL provides in taking in animals, as presented by McSherry. As in the past three years, she said the contract is not to exceed $150,000.
• A letter for Grace Village supporting their application for a rural development grant for a community facility project. McSherry said the letter doesn’t commit the county to any money, it just shows the county’s support for Grace Village to apply for the grant.
• An agreement between the town of Pierceton and the Kosciusko County Highway Department, as requested by Superintendent Steve Moriarty.
“Years and years ago, they had a chipper that was granted to them through a grant through the state. At that time, they didn’t have the capacity to use it,” Moriarty explained. “So they let the county use it and we came up with an agreement that we would still help them when they needed it because it’s their chipper.”
He said they now have a new agreement because the county bought a new one. It’s the same agreement as before, but with the new chipper the KCHD will be the owner.
• A one-year contract between the Kosciusko Area Plan Commission and Emans Engineering for Emans to provide drainage reviews for any major developments that come in, as requested by Area Plan Director Matt Sandy. Emans has been providing the service since 2005, and this is the first year there’s been an increase in the amount, Sandy said, but it’s still an amount below what other engineers would be paid.
• A request by Ransbottom Family Farms to rezone property from agricultural to residential. The property is over by Forest Glen Avenue, off Tippecanoe Lake, on Stanton Road and Forest Glen. Sandy said the Area Plan Commission gave the rezoning a unanimous recommendation to approve.
Attorney Scott Reust, representing the petitioner, said the regional sewer district over there has more than sufficient capacity to handle any sewage that may come from the development and there’s plenty of road footage.
“When they eventually submit a proposed plat, the Area Plan will have the opportunity to check all the details and make sure it conforms to all of your ordinances,” Reust said.
Resident Rod Teeple, who lives in Stanton Lake Estates, expressed some concerns about Stanton Road’s current size and potential increased traffic.
“My concern is that, if this goes in with proposed 45 lots, that’s going to be considerable more traffic along this road, and I can foresee some accidents or possibly even fatalities with the road in its current condition,” Teeple said. He wondered if the Commissioners would upgrade and widen the road.
Groninger said right now, the Commissioners’ focus was what’s the best use for the property. “As that property would go to further review, development and design, that’s when we’ll take a look at if there’s any improvements that need to be done,” he said.
• County Auditor Michelle Puckett thanked the Commissioners for their confidence in her, their friendship and support as Tuesday was her last meeting with the Commissioners as auditor. Puckett will begin her term as county treasurer Jan. 1, with Rhonda Helser taking over as auditor.
The next Commissioners meeting is at 9 a.m. Jan. 3.
“Two of them are related to continual cybersecurity enhancements the county is making, and then the third one is for a renewal of a service contract,” he said.
On the first one, Momeyer said the state and other agencies have been recommending the county initiate an employee email phishing, training and testing program. The company they use is KnowBe4 and is a leader in the industry, he said.
“The state is providing access to this through their account for the county so there’s no additional cost for us. I think it’s something we want to do, but to move forward with it I would need your approval to continue the process,” Momeyer said.
In the future, he thinks it will entail the county making some policy changes in the employee handbook, which will be put together.
Commissioner Cary Groninger said this was something he used in his own business. “I think anything we can do to help improve our cybersecurity in the county is a good thing, and training our employees to be able to do that is our first line of defense,” he said.
The Commissioners approved the request.
The second item regarding cybersecurity had to do with Purdue University offering a cybersecurity risk assessment of the county’s current system.
“That’s something we’ve talked about doing for a while, but I’ve never really gotten to that point, and this is something they are also offering free of cost to the counties and other educational institutions, if we so choose to do so,” Momeyer said.
He recommended the county take advantage of the assessment, adding that it would be scheduled as early as possible in the first quarter of 2023.
Groninger asked if he knew how long it would take to do the study. Momeyer said he didn’t know, but once the county got on their schedule, it would probably be a one- to two-week process.
The Commissioners approved the request.
Finally, Momeyer told the Commissioners, “We had an issue the other day where a door security system in the building - we had several doors that would definitely go down. And we found the problem ... but discovered at that time, or were reminded at that time, that we do not have a service and support contract for the equipment. This is equipment provided by Security Automation Systems. We put this process in about three, four years ago, and once the original warranty on that equipment ran out, we did not renew the service and support on that particular set of hardware.”
Momeyer requested that the county look at doing that, and received quotes for one-, two- and three-year prices. One year was for $5,250; two years, $7,640; and three years, $10,185. He recommended the three-year contract as it was the most cost-effective.
Commissioner Bob Conley asked him if it was in his budget, and Momeyer responded it was in the 2023 budget. The Commissioners approved the request.
In other business, the Commissioners approved:
• Renewing an agreement with Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation as presented by county attorney Ed Ormsby. He said it was the same agreement as last year and it covers the calendar year of 2023.
• An agreement between the county and the city of Warsaw for the city to monitor two of the county’s parking lots, as presented by county administrator Marsha McSherry. One parking lot is on and around the former Munson car lot at the corner of Lake and Fort Wayne streets, and the other is the county’s lot south of the Old Jail Museum on Indiana Street. The Warsaw Board of Public Works and Safety approved the agreement on Friday, which is for a period of four years.
• An agreement with the Animal Welfare League of Kosciusko County for services the AWL provides in taking in animals, as presented by McSherry. As in the past three years, she said the contract is not to exceed $150,000.
• A letter for Grace Village supporting their application for a rural development grant for a community facility project. McSherry said the letter doesn’t commit the county to any money, it just shows the county’s support for Grace Village to apply for the grant.
• An agreement between the town of Pierceton and the Kosciusko County Highway Department, as requested by Superintendent Steve Moriarty.
“Years and years ago, they had a chipper that was granted to them through a grant through the state. At that time, they didn’t have the capacity to use it,” Moriarty explained. “So they let the county use it and we came up with an agreement that we would still help them when they needed it because it’s their chipper.”
He said they now have a new agreement because the county bought a new one. It’s the same agreement as before, but with the new chipper the KCHD will be the owner.
• A one-year contract between the Kosciusko Area Plan Commission and Emans Engineering for Emans to provide drainage reviews for any major developments that come in, as requested by Area Plan Director Matt Sandy. Emans has been providing the service since 2005, and this is the first year there’s been an increase in the amount, Sandy said, but it’s still an amount below what other engineers would be paid.
• A request by Ransbottom Family Farms to rezone property from agricultural to residential. The property is over by Forest Glen Avenue, off Tippecanoe Lake, on Stanton Road and Forest Glen. Sandy said the Area Plan Commission gave the rezoning a unanimous recommendation to approve.
Attorney Scott Reust, representing the petitioner, said the regional sewer district over there has more than sufficient capacity to handle any sewage that may come from the development and there’s plenty of road footage.
“When they eventually submit a proposed plat, the Area Plan will have the opportunity to check all the details and make sure it conforms to all of your ordinances,” Reust said.
Resident Rod Teeple, who lives in Stanton Lake Estates, expressed some concerns about Stanton Road’s current size and potential increased traffic.
“My concern is that, if this goes in with proposed 45 lots, that’s going to be considerable more traffic along this road, and I can foresee some accidents or possibly even fatalities with the road in its current condition,” Teeple said. He wondered if the Commissioners would upgrade and widen the road.
Groninger said right now, the Commissioners’ focus was what’s the best use for the property. “As that property would go to further review, development and design, that’s when we’ll take a look at if there’s any improvements that need to be done,” he said.
• County Auditor Michelle Puckett thanked the Commissioners for their confidence in her, their friendship and support as Tuesday was her last meeting with the Commissioners as auditor. Puckett will begin her term as county treasurer Jan. 1, with Rhonda Helser taking over as auditor.
The next Commissioners meeting is at 9 a.m. Jan. 3.
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