Durham selectmen switching town email service after server hack
Feb. 16—DURHAM — The Board of Selectmen has approved using Microsoft Office 365 for Town Office email.
The Feb. 9 vote was 5-0.
The Town Office email servers were hacked last fall and spammers who have access to the town email continued to send out spam emails through December.
The move to Microsoft can potentially cost up nearly $10,200 with the money coming from the 2021 telecommunication budget. The initial cost will be $8,241, but the Board of Selectmen want additional information on anti-spam and backup services. Those two optional services cost $978.75 each.
Once selectmen receive information, they will vote on adding the services.
Durham still has five email addresses with Comcast but they plan to shut those addresses down in the coming months after the transition to Microsoft.
In addition, the Town Office will have a new email domain: durhammaine.gov.
Selectmen also voted 5-0 to authorize the road commissioner to inspect proposed sites for utility poles in the public right and approve the permits, if applicable conditions are met. Previously, utility pole permits had to be approved by selectmen.
In another unanimous vote, Becky Taylor-Chase was appointed registrar for voters. She also serves as town clerk, deputy treasurer and deputy tax collector.
