Subject:
Title
Carry forward FY 2021/2022 balance into FY 2022/2023
End
Fiscal Impact:
Request to carry forward the FY 2021-2022 balance of $555,925.06 for the buildout of the vestibule at $475,000 and the server at $75,000
Dept/Office:
Supervisor of Elections Office
Requested Action:
Recommendation
Brevard County Supervisor of Elections office requests to carry forward the excess FY 2021/2022 balance of $555,925.06 into FY 2022/2023
End
Summary Explanation and Background:
As the election tabulation function is now permanently housed at the Election Support Center (ESC) on John Rodes Blvd, public meetings are required to be held at this facility. Between the 2020 & 2022 election cycles consisting of 6 elections, 33 public meetings were held at this facility along with 15 weeks of mail ballot processing and duplication, which are statutorily mandated to be open to the public.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted a security assessment in June of 2022 at the ESC. The findings indicated the ESC was never designed to receive the general public. The recommended actions are as follows: “design and implement an access point which can receive the general public. The entry point should have a secure reception area which includes security/bullet proof glass, camera monitoring, buzz-in system, panic button and a means to alert personnel of a security issue. In addition, diamond plating and/or hardened wall materials below the reception window which would prevent bullets passing through. Additionally, Upgrading the security system to high-definition quality cameras which provide 360-degree coverage of the exterior perimeter access points and high security areas within the facility”. These modifications would also bring the ESC into accordance with recommendations from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), which provides information on critical infrastructure in election facilities across the nation. (See attached report from DHS). In addition, to continue conducting elections and supporting the 464,300+ voters in Brevard County, it is imperative the server infrastructure, still located in Viera, be relocated to the ESC.
This office is requesting to carry forward the FY2021/2022 balance of $555,925.06 to implement the recommended actions from DHS & CISA and server infrastructure relocation, as it was not feasible to implement these projects during the 2022 Election Cycle. Allowing this office to carry forward the balance saves the county and taxpayers this expense.
Clerk to the Board Instructions: