Boston Council Advances Hearing to Codify City Technology Department's Authority

BOSTON — October 24, 2024 — Boston City Council hears testimony on ordinance to formally codify the Department of Innovation and Technology. The Committee on Government Operations, chaired by District 1 Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata, held a hearing Thursday on Docket 1199, which was sponsored by Councilors Brian Worrell, Julia M. Mejia, and Tanya Fernandez-Anderson and referred to committee in August. Chief Information Officer Santiago Garces told councilors that without formal legal authority, DOIT has been forced to coordinate the city's fragmented technology landscape — spanning 367 connected buildings but direct network management of only about 65 — largely on goodwill, leading to redundant software purchases and inconsistent cybersecurity enforcement across departments. Garces noted that the city's consolidated citywide network already generates "millions of dollars" in federal reimbursements by providing internet to schools and libraries. Technology chiefs from Pittsburgh, South Bend, and Cambridge all endorsed the ordinance's direction, with Pittsburgh CIO Heidi Norman urging that procurement review of all applications be explicitly included in the codified duties. The matter will advance to a working session, with DOIT asked to submit written redline comments on the draft ordinance before that meeting.