Lake County Technology Committee Meeting – April 3, 2026

The Lake County Technology Committee met on April 3, 2026, at 8:30 AM. The meeting was called to order by Chair Kasman, with a physical quorum present. Member Altenburg participated remotely due to an emergency. The committee approved several contracts and renewals, received updates on the digital equity program and the ERP implementation, and discussed IT procurement challenges.

Consent Calendar

• Item 8.1 – Consent agenda was approved by unanimous vote (motion by Roberts, second by Kasbin).

Discussion Items

• Item 8.2 – Joint Resolution for AV Upgrade – Authorized a contract with CTI Itasca, Illinois, for $49,419 to upgrade audio/video components in the Lake County Division of Transportation (DOT) main conference room. DOT Director Shane Schneider explained the current system is pre-pandemic and the upgrade will allow any user to plug in and access AV technology across platforms (Zoom, Teams, WebEx). Member Frank asked about standardization across county conference rooms; CIO Chris Blanning noted the vendor is used throughout the county and upgrades are prioritized as needs arise. The resolution passed unanimously (motion by Frank, second by Kasvin).

• Item 8.3 – Joint Resolution for Oracle Cloud Support Renewal – Authorized renewal of Oracle Cloud environmental support services with TD Synnex DLT Solutions (Herndon, VA) for $247,640.88. CIO Blanning and Applications Manager Mike Buslana explained this covers infrastructure support (servers, databases, security patching, 24/7 monitoring) for the BOSS ERP system. The renewal is through May 2026, and the goal is to decommission BOSS after the new ERP goes live. Member Roberts questioned future renewals; Blanning stated they hope this will be the last. The resolution passed unanimously (motion by Kasbin, second by Roberts).

• Item 8.4 – Joint Committee Action for Tyler Technologies Modification – Approved a contract modification with Tyler Technologies (Yarmouth, ME) for up to $85,005 to convert Crystal Reports to Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services for the Energov permitting system. Crystal Reports will lose support in October 2026. Mike Buslana noted no change for end users; only report creators will see a training curve. Vice Chair Kasmin requested a future overview of all Tyler systems used by the county. The action passed unanimously (motion by Kasvin, second by Frank).

• Item 8.5 – Joint Resolution for Cisco Smart Net Services Renewal – Authorized renewal with LogicCallus (Downers Grove, IL) for $423,841 to support network switches, routers, and other infrastructure. The contract includes security patches, hardware replacement, and tiered support levels. The resolution allows up to a 10% annual increase; CIO Blanning explained that the 10% is a cap, not a guaranteed increase, and current chip shortages (partly due to AI data centers) are driving price trends. The resolution passed unanimously (motion by Roberts, second by Kasvin).

Broadband & Digital Equity Update

• Digital Equity Manager Kay Crandall and Coordinator Kim Lunt reported on the Digital Growth Initiative. Key highlights:
  • Public Wi-Fi project with Waukegan: equipment orders underway, community outreach aligned with Rebuild Waukegan initiative.
  • Device distribution: 41 laptops awarded on April 1 through the NorthStar program; a two-day event planned for June 26–27.
  • New digital navigator Jermaine Hilton joined the team.
  • Monthly metrics (February 2026): 343 residents served over 324 sessions, 95 devices distributed. Cumulative over 1,200 devices since January 2025.
  • Digital Equity Coalition meeting on March 19 had 33 attendees from 17 organizations. Member Kasmin provided opening/closing comments.
  • NorthStar usage: average 95 unique learners per month, 220 assessments, 53% pass rate, 81.1% average score.
• Vice Chair Kasmin and Chair Hart praised the program’s impact. Chair Hart noted over 90% of jobs require digital literacy, and the program helps address the labor gap.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Implementation Update

• CIO Blanning reported that use cases (12–13 main processes) have been completed, achieving alignment on how to standardize processes. Over 30 work streams have started, involving more than 100 subject matter experts. All-hands meetings are now held to review risks and actions via a RAID log.
• The target go-live date is December 1, 2026 (to align with fiscal year start and ARPA funding deadlines). The change order is not yet signed, but the project is currently rated green (technically yellow due to the unsigned change order).
• Blanning highlighted challenges: decoupled processes and resistance to change from some departments, causing “spinning cycles” on alignment rather than building the system. He stressed that change management is the primary difficulty, not technology. Chair Hart, Vice Chair Kasmin, and Chair Clark expressed strong board support for standardization and urged departments to get on board, noting the cost of maintaining legacy systems (like BOSS) and the opportunity cost of delays. They offered to help with change management if needed.

Director’s Report

• CIO Blanning announced that two more security policies will be brought forward next month, developed collaboratively with the policy advisory team.
• The AI Governance Advisory Team is meeting regularly, approving common AI software, and will now review whether to update the evaluation process for new AI agents. The team is also working on an AI roadmap.
• Help Desk Manager Eric Frederickson provided an update on PC refresh: Due to chip shortages (AI data centers driving up memory and storage costs), laptop prices have risen ~50% since last fiscal year (from ~$1,250 to ~$1,700). To avoid further increases, Frederickson accelerated purchasing and will have bought all required computers by the end of next week. He noted that extending the replacement cycle (currently 4 years) is a consideration, but older hardware may not support Windows 11. The county manages about 1,500 computers through the help desk, with other departments (courts, health, sheriff) managing their own. CIO Blanning emphasized collaborative efforts to standardize procurement (e.g., Dell consolidation) and build trust among IT departments.

Key Outcomes

• All four resolutions (Items 8.2–8.5) and the consent agenda were approved unanimously.
• The committee endorsed the digital equity program and received updates on upcoming events.
• The ERP project is proceeding with a target go-live of December 1, 2026; CIO Blanning committed to transparent reporting on alignment challenges.
• The committee acknowledged the proactive PC purchasing strategy to mitigate cost increases.
• The next meeting is scheduled for May 1, 2026.