WilCo officials remove contract information from agendas in response to AI attacks

Williamson County commissioners court meeting agendas will no longer include detailed contract information, following a vote to enhance the county’s security measures against artificial intelligence scams at a Jan. 13 meeting.

“The county is victim to a lot of scams ... and a big source of that is the information that’s on the agenda,” said Richard Semple, chief information officer of the county’s Public Safety Technology department, at the meeting.

What residents need to know

Although documents between the county and contractors will not be included on the public agenda items, individuals can still access the contracts through a public information request, Semple said.

“As a public entity we, of course, want to be transparent, and we are going to be transparent about our dealings and contracts,” Semple said.

County agendas are posted on Wednesdays by 5 p.m. the week before commissioners court meetings. Agendas will still include who the county is contracting with, and the cost of the service or equipment.

To request specific documents or information from the county, individuals can email [email protected].

Why now?

Williamson County is facing a large number of “AI attacks,” Semple said. The nature of the attacks include “elaborate schemes” to extort money, steal equipment, change payment information and gain illicit funds, Semple said.

“This isn’t a theoretical threat, this is something we face on a daily basis,” Semple said.

What they’re saying

“None of us like the fact that we have to do this because that’s not what open government is about,” Precinct 3 Commissioner Valerie Covey said. “But we feel like ... the risk to the county is greater.”