County Commissioners Approve Non-Disclosure Agreement For Additional Cyber Security
By Lasca Randels
InkFreeNews
WARSAW — Kosciusko County Commissioners approved a non-disclosure agreement with FireEye Cyber Security, presented by Kosciusko County Clerk Ann Torpy, at a Sept. 15 meeting.
According to Torpy, the security program involves additional cyber security for voting systems.
Commissioner Cary Groninger asked how things are progressing in regards to voting.
“Yesterday we started mailing out absentee ballots,” Torpy said. “As of this morning, we have 1,900 to mail out by Saturday.”
Commissioner Vice-President Bob Conley asked how this number compares to other elections, with Torpy replying, “unprecedented compared to 2016 and 2012.”
Torpy said during the primary this year they had a total of 3,500 mail-outs.
“So within the first week we’re going to get close to that whole entire primary,” Torpy said.
Torpy said the Indiana Secretary of State’s office is predicting that Kosciusko County will have between 7,000 and 13,000 mail-out ballots for this election.
General election absentee ballot applications are due in the clerk’s office by Oct. 22. They may be emailed to: [email protected] or faxed to (574) 372-2338. You may also apply online at www.indianavoters.com.
In-office early voting is located at the Kosciusko County Justice Building at 121 N. Lake St. in Warsaw. Voters must bring an Indiana or federal issued photo ID.
The hours and dates for in-office early voting are:
Oct. 6 to Oct. 30:
8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
Nov. 2:
8 a.m. to noon
In-office early voting is available on two Saturdays as well, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Oct. 24 and Oct. 31.
County Emergency Management Agency Director Ed Rock received approval to sign the award letter for a $133,000 grant and move forward with the project, which involves upgrading equipment at the court security area of the county justice building.
Following Rock’s request, County Administrator Marsha McSherry said bids have been received for the upgraded equipment, including a walk-through scanner and x-ray machine. McSherry recommended accepting a bid from Securemar in the amount of $37,148 for the two pieces of equipment. Commissioners approved this recommendation.
Brad Bishop, executive director of OrthoWorx; and Dave Anderson, principal consultant for the operation of AcceLINX, the musculoskeletal health business accelerator launched by OrthoWorx, shared information involving the 2019-2020 annual financial report of activities and accomplishments.
Anderson said some of the highlights include finalizing arrangements with one of their clients to relocate operations from New Hampshire to Warsaw.
That company has plans for growth, which involves the hiring for 64 direct jobs. With the work they will be providing to different suppliers in the area, they anticipate an additional impact of 30 to 35 additional jobs within those suppliers, resulting in about 100 jobs over the next three years.
A second company they’ve worked with over the last couple of years is based in Italy, Anderson said, and that company has expressed an interest in setting up operations in the U.S. and potentially in the Kosciusko area.
“We are serving as their U.S. FDA agent, so that helps establish their presence here,” Anderson said.
In other news:
- The Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Reserves Gun Raffle drawing will take place Oct. 31. Tickets are $10 each and may be purchased from any Kosciusko County Sheriff Reserve officer or by contacting Conley at (574) 551-3871.
- Kosciusko County Assessor Susan Engelberth received approval for the purchase of a Jeep Grand Cherokee in the amount of $33,470.87 from Warsaw Buick GMC.
- Bids were opened for video conferencing/live streaming and a telephone system. Commissioners gave approval for McSherry to review the bids and return with recommendations at the next meeting.
- Kosciusko Area Bus Service (KABS) General Manager Tony Peterson presented the second quarterly operating plan for KABS in the amount of $93,786, which was approved by commissioners. Peterson also received approval for purchase of a replacement vehicle, a medium transit bus, in the amount of $57,582.
- Two CARES Act projects presented by Kosciusko County Systems Administrator Bob Momeyer were approved. The first is adding capabilities to the Superior 3 and 4 courtrooms to be able to do presentation and online streaming of proceedings to handle social distancing. The total cost is $92,733.28. The second project involves an upgrade of the county computer system hardware to include Virtual Desktop Infrastructure. A backup unit will be placed at the county highway department which will receive snapshots of all work stations at the courthouse. The cost is $192,496.16. Both projects have been deemed reimbursable by the state. A third project, which is not covered under the CARES Act, was also approved. This involves a speed upgrade between the courthouse and the county highway department in the amount of $25,000.
- Commissioners approved two vacation requests presented by Area Plan Director Dan Richard. The first involved a request for vacation of a public way at EMS D18A Lane, and the second was a request for vacation of public way for EMS T34C Lane.
- The next regular meeting will be 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29.