June 15 – HANCEVILLE – The City of Hanceville tabled several discussions about its cybersecurity options on Thursday, June 13.
Two representatives from SmartFox Solutions, a Decatur, Alabama-based IT services contractor, provided Hanceville officials Thursday evening with estimates for providing preventative IT maintenance services and installing a security camera system.
SmartFox already has an off-site, air-gapped backup server that the city can use in the event of a cybersecurity attack. IT manager Daryl Robinson said the company could also offer preventative software for on-premises network devices for an estimated $7.50 each.
The city has also submitted a quote for cyber liability insurance from the Alabama Municipal Insurance Corporation. Mayor Jimmy Sawyer said the annual cost for coverage was just over $10,000.
Robinson said most cybersecurity insurance packages require the installation of some type of preventative software, such as that available through SmartFox.
Sawyer ultimately recommended that a decision on all three estimates be tabled until more information could be obtained.
The council also finalized the repeal of an ordinance that provided age requirements for receiving tattoos and piercings within city limits.
After a brief discussion, the city moved forward with rezoning Jonathan Black’s property from a residential to a commercial district.
Councilman John Stam questioned the motivations for Black’s rezoning request, but did not object after hearing from Sawyer that he had expressed interest in “getting into the waveguide industry.”
Sawyer said Black already owns two adjacent properties and hoped to use them as pipe storage.
Before concluding the meeting, Hanceville attorney Dan Willingham recommended that the board hold a board meeting for the purpose of discussing potential lawsuits as well as an individual’s overall reputation and character.
The council returned to regular session after about an hour and took no further action on matters discussed during the closed portion of the meeting.
