The price tag for the Good Friday cyberattack against the city of Abilene is expected to continue rising.
Proposed spending related to the ransomware attack of about $1.17 million is one of many such purchases expected over the next several months for the city, Troy Swanson, city director of information technology, said Monday at a City Hall briefing.
Requested technology purchases for equipment and services, as well as a $27 million bond issue for energy improvements, will be presented to the Abilene City Council at an upcoming meeting 8:30 a.m. Thursday at the Abilene City Hall, 555 Walnut St.
Purchase requests for computers, phones and other technology will total around $981,880, Swanson said.
Troy Swanson, director of information technology, explains the nearly $1 million purchase request on Monday to replace city technology affected by the cyberattack detected almost two months ago. The purchase request will be presented to the Abilene City Council at their Thursday meeting.
The city is looking to replace both damaged technology and technology unaffected by cyberattack across multiple city departments, Swanson said.
The city proposes replacing the unaffected equipment as well out of an abundance of caution and so the city will not have any further cyber events, he said.
Swanson said the nearly $1 million purchase request will be one of many over the next several months.
The city is also requesting City Council approval to enter into two professional contracts for additional services pertaining to cybersecurity response and recovery efforts.
The proposed agreements include a contract with Computer Task Group totaling $78,700 to stabilize the city’s network infrastructure and systems.
According to the CTG contract, services with the company will last an estimated two months.
The second contract with Tyler Technologies Inc. totaling around $110,000 would be used toward implementing municipal court software systems.
The city released a statement June 2 to inform the public about the specifics of the cyberattack detected April 18.
The cyberattack headed by a foreign hacking group had compromised the city’s computer systems, the statement said.
More: In wake of Good Friday cyberattack, city of Abilene replacing all desktops, laptops
The hackers demanded a ransom, which city officials have said they have no intention to pay.
Although there has been no evidence that city or resident data has been misused or released, efforts are being made to secure network information, the statement said.
The City Council will also consider issuing $27 million in bonds for energy improvements to various city facilities.
The notice to issue combination tax and revenue bonds was first mentioned at the April 10 City Council meeting.
Marjorie Knight, director of finance, gives an overview of the city’s $27 million bond request for city energy improvements Monday. The bond request will be presented to the City Council Thursday.
Marjorie Knight, director of finance, said payments for the improvements will be paid with $10.6 million in property taxes and around $15.9 million in water and sewer revenue.
The estimated impact on the tax rate is equivalent to $8 per $100,000 of property value, Knight said.
If approved, the costs will be included in the 2026 budgets for the water and sewer debt service fund and the general debt service fund, according to city documents.
More: City council to consider moving toward issuing up to $27 million in bonds
The water utilities department is requesting the City Council approve contracts for equipment replacement at the Hargesheimer Water Treatment Plant in the amount of $191,300.
The contract will be funded from the fiscal year 2025 annual operating budget for water utilities, according to city documents.
Council members will consider various property rezonings around the city.
Abilene City Manager Mindy Patterson on Monday discusses the individuals to be appointed to various board positions and recognized for service awards at the Abilene City Council meeting Thursday.
Several blocks of Maple Street will be considered for rezoning to accommodate expansion of housing developments in that area, Tim Littlejohn, planning and development director, said.
Another rezoning request of 11 acres of land at 1717 Musgrave Blvd. is planned for a multi-family apartment complex, Littlejohn said.
Other requests include rezoning to multi-family housing at 5233 Old Andy St., rezoning to retail space at 6817X Horse Head Crossing and application of a conditional use permit for ambulance services in a general retail zone at 3301 S. 14th St.
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This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Technology purchases, $27 million bond issuance on city council agenda
