The Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly appropriates additional funds for the Cybersecurity Vulnerability Assessment, designed to enhance the capability of local governments to prevent, deter, respond to and recover from all-hazard incidents and to enhance regional preparedness efforts.
Assemblyman Tyson Cox:
“Accepting and appropriating an additional $9,010 from the State of Alaska Department of Military and Veteran Affairs, Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management for the Cybersecurity Vulnerability Assessment. This is brought to us by the mayor. This is an additional amount to get to just under $65,000 for the total cost for that, so it was an additional appropriation.”
Ordinance 2019-19-17 approved funding of $55,784 through the State Homeland Security Program to fund two projects: conduct a cybersecurity assessment and provide training for mitigation planning. According to a corresponding Borough memo, in light of the prolonged pandemic response, the training objective wasn’t completed, but the Department of Homeland Security & Emergency management approved moving the training funds as well as an approved award increase towards the cost of the completion of the assessment.
The project is to conduct an assessment of the borough’s IT infrastructure to ensure that the borough has sufficient equipment, processes, and procedures in place to remain resilient against various types of cyberattacks, as well as accidental or malicious actions that could impair the Borough’s ability to provide essential public safety services to residents and visitors. Ben Hanson, IT Director, will oversee the project. Brenda Ahlberg, Community & Fiscal Projects Manager, will assist project managers to ensure completed reporting requirements are met. The grant performance period ends September 30th, 2021.
Ordinance 2020-19-32 passed the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly through the Consent Agenda.