Commissioners push for training

No cybersecurity training, no email privileges.

Jay County Commissioners approved a rule Monday to suspend the email accounts of Jay County government employees within a month if they have not completed their required training.

Auditor Anna Culy asked commissioners at the meeting to renew a three-year contract for $5,227.20 with KnowBe4, a cybersecurity awareness training program. County employees are required to complete training as it is updated to ensure they know what online links — such as phishing emails — are not safe to click.

This knowledge is constantly changing because hackers are constantly changing their methods, she explained. She also presented a list of workers who have failed to complete the latest training earlier this year and a list of workers who have clicked unsafe links. Several of those names have not finished the training in previous modules either.

“What concerns me are the ones who aren’t taking the training,” commissioner Chuck Huffman said.

Both Huffman and commissioner Chad Aker agreed it’s important to protect information from hackers, and emails should be suspended if the training hasn’t been taken.

Culy noted she sends emails to all workers as the new training regimens are released. She also sends a reminder.

Highway superintendent Donnie Corn chimed in saying that he has not received any emails about the required training, although his name was not on the list of workers who had failed to meet the requirement.

Commissioners asked Culy to give notice to those workers, about 30 days, to catch up on their training. If no action is taken, their emails will be suspended indefinitely. Commissioners approved the rule unanimously.

Culy mentioned the new courthouse camera system is in the process of installation. Commissioners discussed adding cameras to offices for their security. She said she did not have a quote for that cost, although she had an estimate for about $500 or $600 per camera.

Huffman argued if one office should get a camera, all offices should get a camera. Commissioner Mike Leonhard said each office should receive hardwiring, and if office workers decide they would like to get a camera at any point, they can.

No action was taken on the matter until commissioners get an exact cost.

In road-related business, county engineer Dan Watson told commissioners about 95 miles of chip and seal work has been completed this year. He noted Milestone Contractors will start patching the roads around Bitter Ridge Wind Farms this week. Those roads include county road 800 South between Indiana 1 to county road 600 West, county road 600 West between county roads 800 South to 600 South and county road 600 South between county roads 700 West and 800 West.

Watson said he expects that work to be completed by the end of October.

In other business, commissioners:

•Approved the following: Community Corrections director Yvette Weiland purchasing a new work laptop from Cleaver Cabling for $999. Culy noted this amount should be reimbursed through CARES Act funding because Weiland is now required to do online webinars for training during the pandemic; a resolution to transfer two properties to the City of Dunkirk; a contract with Comcast to upgrade the phone system in the auditor’s office; the health department submission of its routine health maintenance fund grant; hosting WinterFest activities in the courthouse on Nov. 20 and 21.

•Heard from Emergency Management Agency director Jessica Ooten, who gave updates from her department regarding training and grants.

•Accepted a $500 donation from Pizza King for the veterans affairs department.

•Heard from Sheriff Duane Ford about the body scanner he hopes to purchase with COVID-19 funding for about $100,000. The machine would help the jail check inmates for drugs before entering. “It’s going to save us a lawsuit sometime in the future,” he said.