Region – Representative Hannah Kane (R-Shrewsbury) and Senator Michael Moore (D-Millbury), in collaboration with Shrewsbury Electric and Cable Operations (SELCO), announced that the Executive Office’s Community Compact Cabinet has recently awarded SELCO a Community Compact Information Technology Grant.
First formed in 1908, SELCO is Shrewsbury’s power utility and cable television company, and is responsible for administering an extensive common technological infrastructure across the town’s various divisions. The Community Compact Cabinet awarded SELCO $111,689 to assist in the establishment of an integrated and unified security platform to protect the digital assets of Shrewsbury’s municipal government, school system, fire and police departments and SELCO.
Established by the Baker-Polito Administration in 2015, the Community Compact Cabinet offers a state and municipal partnership where municipal interests are effectively championed across the Executive Branch and cities and towns work in consultation with the Executive Branch to develop mutual standards and best practices.
“I would like to thank the Baker-Polito Administration for their commitment to partnering with municipalities across the commonwealth and the Community Compact Cabinet for awarding SELCO with this critical information technology grant,” stated Kane.
“With an ever-increasing amount of local services delivered through digital platforms, working to secure our technological infrastructure is critical to protecting sensitive information,” said Moore, who serves as chair of the Special Senate Committee on Cyber Security Readiness. “This grant opportunity compliments existing initiatives to develop and promote cyber security in our commonwealth, and to detect and mitigate potential threats. I extend my congratulations to the team at SELCO on receiving this important grant funding.”
The Community Compact IT Grant is awarded annually, with this year’s grants providing $3 million in funds to 44 cities and towns across the commonwealth. Funded under the Administration’s capital spending plan, the Community Compact IT Grant has issued 188 grants totaling $9 million in grant funding over the last four years, providing assistance in technology innovation to 250 communities.
Offered SELCO General Manager Michael Hale, “The grant benefits all SELCO, town, and school operations. We share a single network which provides efficiencies and cost savings. This grant benefits the School Department budget, the town departments, and SELCO equally. The project is a great example of how collaboration can generate savings.”
For more information, visit www.mass.gov/community-compact-it-grant-program.
