MACHIAS — The town of Machias will soon be eligible for free cybersecurity coverage through Maine Municipal Association after the select board passed an acceptable use policy March 11.
“The basic idea of an acceptable use agreement is just to establish the rules for how we use municipal technology,” Town Manager Sarah Craighead Dedmon said.
The policy is modeled on a template sent from the Association, with adjustments made by the town manager and Finance Director Nicholas McDonald to better fit Machias’ specific situation. With the policy’s passage, the town will now be eligible for free cybersecurity coverage from MMA.
“We’re aware of the threats and losses towns have sustained,” Craighead Dedmon said of cyber attacks, noting the importance of taking steps to protect against those types of threats.
“New things are coming up all the time now,” Select Board Chair Jake Patryn said of cyber threats and scams.
Machias also utilizes the “positive pay” system with Machias Savings Bank, in which transactions are reviewed and verified, and is also implementing townwide employee email accounts and two factor authentication, Craighead Dedmon said.
“It’s really important to restrict town communication to town channels,” she said, noting that all town communications are subject to Maine’s Freedom of Access Act, which grants rights of access to public records for Maine people.
In other news, the select board awarded a $768.47 contract for the annual town report printing to The Snowman Group, of Hermon.
Dean Petruzzi was also appointed as an alternate to the budget committee.
“He is obviously an excellent addition,” Craighead Dedmon said.
The Machias Select Board will meet next at 5 p.m. on March 25.
