2025-01-27-minutes-it-study-session

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Page 2 of 3 Information Technology “Study Session Staff Report”, 1/27/2025 In addition to IT having several internal discussions regarding these issues, Zane Kinney, IT Assistant Director, had a discussion with Stephanie Hartung, Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor. BACKGROUND: The IT Department in coordination with the IT Committee was the author of both the policy and procedures regarding the recommendation for approval, creation, and styling of the County’s public online communication. Changes in IT management, the County’s internal business structure, and third-party terms of service agreements have made the current policy and procedures obsolete. DISCUSSION: With the approval and direction of the Board, the responsibilities of the IT Committee were officially transferred to the Central Services Committee (CSC). Previously, the IT Committee had been responsible for two key functions: making recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) regarding the approval of new social media accounts proposed by departments and offices, and approving requests for new content additions to the public website. However, after assuming these responsibilities, the members of the CSC reached a consensus that these duties did not align with the scope and mission of the newly structured committee. They requested that IT revisit the matter and explore alternative solutions. During discussions with the CSC, IT identified several challenges and potential risks associated with the current approach. One major concern is that a single IT staff member is responsible for managing all the county’s social media pages and accounts, creating a significant single point of failure. This could potentially lead to the loss of ownership or control of all accounts if that staff member were unavailable. Furthermore, the terms of service for the county’s most popular social media platform mandate that business pages must be linked to an individual’s personal social media account, which raises additional concerns about compliance and long-term account management. Recognizing the importance of addressing these concerns, the CSC recommended that IT present these issues directly to the Board for further consideration. In addition to internal discussions within the IT team, Zane Kinney, the IT Assistant Director, engaged in a conversation with Stephanie Hartung, Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor, to discuss potential resolutions and next steps. During this discussion, both parties acknowledged the need for oversight and coordination in handling these requests. Without a central Communications department, it was suggested that forming a communications committee could be a viable solution. Establishing a communications committee offers several potential benefits to the County, including: