Knox County Chief Information Officer Kyle Webb presented a final report to the Board of Commissioners in 2025 regarding the upgrades and maintenance work completed by his department. This report was delivered during the board's meeting on December 11.
According to a meeting video, Webb said that his department has resumed live testing of the Sheriff's Office panic alarm system on a monthly basis. He explained that while this testing used to occur more frequently, it led to desensitization, with individuals treating any alarm as if it were a test. After discussions with the safety committee, they discovered that some people were unaware of their enrollment in the system, and others had outdated contact information.
Webb also mentioned in the video that his team assisted in implementing a new jail commissary system. Most of the information technology work involved preparatory tasks before an external company completed the installation. This project marked the first major new system for the Knox County Sheriff's Office.
The video further revealed that dispatchers are now using an updated intercom system equipped with video capabilities to manage entry access. This system was enhanced with a more reliable physical phone device. Similar systems are in place at Mount Vernon City Hall and the Sheriff's Office.
Webb noted in the video that the success of new digital signage in the south lobby of the administration building has attracted interest from Knox Animal Shelter. He anticipates they will want digital signage capable of displaying photos similar to those posted on Facebook for animals available for adoption.
Additionally, Webb reported that both the Board of Elections and Veterans Building have transitioned to the county's new access control system. This task was challenging due to numerous volunteers, poll workers, and specialized systems required for certain doors. The migration of juvenile probate court servers to main county servers allowed for old equipment removal from server rooms, which Webb indicated would result in significant cost savings every five years by eliminating the need for independent server purchases.
