Cybersecurity Grants

Are you using Yahoo, Gmail, or another free, personal email for your official government business? Is your email address provided by your local telephone and Internet company?

OMAG's biggest source of cyber claims comes from the hacking of insecure, free, personal email services. We also get frequent questions from frustrated cities and towns if a clerk or staff member took their city email password with them and the city can't get it back. Finally, OMAG is always encouraging cities and towns to be compliant with the Oklahoma Open Records Act and give city and town staff the ability to keep their personal email accounts personal, and their work accounts separate.

Each city and town in Oklahoma qualifies for a free .GOV domain courtesy of the federal government. After OMAG helps you get it setup, we'd also like to pay for the first year of each of the following:

• A professional, secure email account, with support provided by a third-party company

• A simple, yet attractive, professional website that is easy for you to edit and update

• email cybersecurity training and simulation

OMAG is using Microsoft's online services, called Microsoft 365 for email, and our website is hosted by a company called Squarespace. We also use a service that trains OMAG staff to be wary of spammers and scammers and to protect our organization from hackers. We're so sure about the effectiveness of these products, that we want to help some of our smallest members start their IT evolution by getting 50 towns that are still on Yahoo and similar services moved to a modern, professional solution that adheres to state standards, provides minimum cybersecurity, and protects these communities from hackers.

Year 2 costs for the city include nominal fees per user per year for email, an annual charge for website service, and an investment in cybersecurity training. OMAG strongly recommends that towns invest a little bit of money in doing IT right, so let us help you with the first year, free. Sign up today, by visiting www.dotgov.omag.org/. Apply for the grant by clicking "Sign up now!" If you have any questions, just let us know!

Storm Preparedness

Longer days, glorious sunshine, and fresh cut lawns. Storm season is upon us. Here at OMAG, we want to help you prepare and keep your property as safe as possible. Should your City or Town have to deal with Mother Nature’s fury, we want to provide you with some information that can assist with your recovery. 

Looking ahead: The weather has a large impact on everyone during the spring season and one of the ways to prepare is to monitor storm predictions. The Storm Prediction Center (https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/) and Mesonet (https://mesonet.org/) are great resources to monitor severe weather predictions. We know our meteorologists in Oklahoma have a few misses but overall, they do a great job providing warning on those dreaded days. Pay attention to OMAG social media during storm season as we will do our best to post the latest forecasts to keep you informed. If possible, move autos to a covered area to avoid hail damage.  

In the moment: Should severe weather strike your municipality; we know there are several things that need to be addressed. OMAG will do our best to contact municipalities that have been struck by a tornado or other severe weather event we deem necessary to help assist in the claims process. If we can get one building or location set up as a claim, we can assign our appraiser and get them out faster. The quicker they see the damage, the faster we can get you on the road to recovery.  

Don’t hesitate to contact the OMAG Claims Department or Insurance Services should you have questions about property damage restoration or mitigation. We can provide some options on who to contact and assist in those areas.  

Hopefully we all get through this season without any major events, but there is a high probability that we will have one of those unsettling days. When severe weather happens, take your storm precautions, and know that OMAG will help your municipality get back on its feet. Stay safe everyone! 

The Power of "WHY": Inspiring Purpose

Simon Sinek's insights shine a light on the importance of understanding the "why" behind our actions and decisions. According to Sinek, the clarity of "why" enhances the significance of "what" we do. The why appeals to emotions and motivates individuals toward a common purpose.

Many leaders find comfort in defining the "what" – the tangible tasks and objectives to accomplish. However, his Golden Circle emphasizes the importance of communicating from the inside out. Starting with “why,” the mission or purpose, cause, or belief. Next, "how," the process or specific actions taken to realize the "why.” And finally, the "what," the results or services.

In giving focus to the "why," leaders can more effectively inspire team members, creating a purpose that aligns with the municipal mission and overarching goals. With a clear "why," the "how” and the "what" become more than just steps in a process.

Fostering an environment where every team member is aligned with the "why" can lead to more meaningful contributions, stronger collaboration, and a more fulfilling workplace culture for all.

The first step is to ensure that every team member understands the common "why." This goes beyond a one-time announcement; it needs to be a consistent message that is integrated into all aspects of your team's operations. Use meetings, newsletters, and team-building activities as opportunities to reinforce the "why."

By connecting team members to a common "why," you create a unified and motivated team that is driven by a shared purpose.

When Mowing Takes Precedence

Spring brings warmth, excitement, and noticeable growth in public spaces like parks, cemeteries, and along roadsides. This seasonal change burdens small communities with additional tasks. Typically, public works departments bear the brunt, especially when there's no dedicated parks staff, leaving utility employees to fill the gap. Consequently, for seven months, these employees shift focus from crucial water and wastewater management to repetitive mowing, straining the utility infrastructure. Essential maintenance and repairs get delayed, prioritizing landscape upkeep over functional sustainability.  

The neglect of utility services due to deferred maintenance becomes apparent, fostering a reactive rather than proactive stance. Postponed routine work piles up, only addressed after the mowing season, squeezing a year’s maintenance schedule into a mere 4 to 5 months.  

Visually, unkempt parks and cemeteries create a negative image for the community, underscoring the need for a balanced approach to mowing and utility maintenance. The apparent solution — hiring dedicated mowing personnel — often clashes with budgetary constraints. Part-time hires and temporary services offer partial solutions but are hampered by availability, especially in smaller communities like those in Oklahoma.  

Exploring partnerships with local lawn services for periodic assistance or tapping into the local student workforce for summer jobs could offer flexible, cost-effective solutions. These approaches not only address the mowing challenge but also open avenues for maintaining continuous attention on utility infrastructure through innovative scheduling and task management.  

No single strategy will suit every community, but through inventive problem-solving, it's possible to find a balance that allows for both aesthetic upkeep and the sustained operation of essential services. 

Underground Utilities

In recent years, underground facilities have been struck and damaged regularly by OMAG members. An underground facility strike is when a utility line buried underground such as water, sewer, gas, communications, and electric is hit and damaged during the excavation or backfilling process. Regardless of what caused the damage, putting an end to these underground facility strikes will save time and money.  

Underground facility damage can be reduced by:  

• Contacting OKIE811 before all excavations and document all facilities have been marked before excavation starts. 

• Pothole and locate all facilities that fall within 4 feet of the excavation. 

• Take detailed pictures of proposed excavation, facility markings, potholing, and backfill. 

All employees excavating near underground utilities are responsible for taking steps to prevent damage. You must know what steps you need to take, what the law requires, and especially when facility damage is not your fault. You can get all this information by taking advantage of free training online training at OMAG’s website. 

OMAG In Action (Volume 9)