Story County’s IT department has been making efforts to implement more affordable and efficient technologies into the county’s functions.

The endeavors are detailed in a report covering the past three months presented at Tuesday’s Story County Board of Supervisors meeting by Joe Wakeman, director of information technology. Wakeman, told the board that during that time, the department has:

• Converted county fax lines to an e-fax service
• Started replacing the county’s phone system
• Replaced the internet at the Story County Conservation Center and is nearing completion of an internet replacement at Hickory Grove Park
• Updated the camera system in the jail
• Started using a new local e-waste recycler
• Converted the IT department’s conference room to a Microsoft Teams setup, including improvements for virtual meetings
• Developed a new form for the county attorney to accept media files

In the coming quarter, Wakemen said the department is planning to update the county’s infrastructure for the non-emergency lines that come into the county sheriff’s dispatch.

It also plans to replace the county’s system for payroll and several other tasks, which has reached the end of its lifespan. Wakeman said the cost of the new system will be double the current one.

Also noteworthy

• The board approved a replacement for a cracking 15-year-old slide at Hickory Grove Park. The replacement will cost $10,581 and will likely take four weeks to be completed.
• Story County Housing Trust will use its leftover federal funds on two housing-related projects. Between 2021 and 2022, Story County awarded the organization a $470,000 grant provided by the American Rescue Plan Act.