County IT pros to inform TAC’s tech agenda

The TAC County Information Resources Agency (TAC CIRA) Board Chair Jacques Blanchette, Tyler County Judge, appointed a slate of county IT professionals to the TAC CIRA advisory committee in June. The committee, composed of four returning members and seven new ones — all county government IT professionals — will provide insight and recommendations to TAC CIRA’s board regarding county technology needs and potential new services.

"Technology plays an ever-increasing role both within local governments and in the services TAC provides to counties," said TAC Executive Director Susan M. Redford. "The advisory committee is a technology brain bank, and we look forward to working with this talented group over the next year."

The committee advises TAC CIRA’s board and staff about technology challenges and opportunities, with a specific lens of identifying service needs that could be offered at scale by TAC CIRA.

This boots-on-the-ground county perspective is invaluable to ensure that TAC’s services are aligned exactly with what counties need and want. Tom Green County IT Director Justin Thornton, who chaired the advisory committee in 2020-2021 and has been reappointed and reelected chair, said the committee has identified website compliance and accessibility, affordable cloud storage, cybersecurity, and technology training opportunities as areas of need within counties.

"The advisory committee had a very successful first year," he said, "and we will continue to be innovative to look for ways that CIRA can best serve Texas counties."