How the City of McLaughlin Strengthened Operational Continuity Through NetContinuum™

Municipal networks rarely emerge from a single strategy or investment cycle.

Like many communities, the City of McLaughlin accumulated its technology environment organically over time, responding to evolving operational needs, available funding, and the realities of managing essential services with limited internal resources. Over the years, the City's environment became an ad hoc collection of locally sourced and supported devices accumulated through different projects, priorities, and budget cycles.

Yet as more systems became connected, the network’s role expanded. What was once viewed as supporting devices had become critical infrastructure. From council meetings and financial operations to utility systems and staff collaboration, municipal services increasingly depended on stable, secure networks, while employees and community members came to expect those services to work consistently, without disruption or delay.

Reflecting on the City's earlier environment, City Council Member Josef Verbanac noted that many technologies had been “largely considered as ‘glorified office supplies’ rather than critical components of operational material.”

As the City's reliance on technology increased, so did the need for greater visibility, documentation, and ongoing oversight, reinforcing the need for continuous network management.

Building Structure, Responsiveness, and Reliability from Complexity

When the City partnered with Northriver IT, the challenge was more complicated than simply replacing equipment. Many of their network components had little or no documentation, making repairs, upgrades, and replacements difficult.

Rather than start over, the goal was to strengthen the infrastructure already supporting essential operations while reducing risk and improving reliability over time.

Delivering Continuous Support

Northriver IT worked alongside the City’s team to bring structure and consistency to the network infrastructure connecting municipal facilities. Rather than treating the network as a static upgrade cycle, the team focused on understanding the existing environment, resolving undocumented dependencies, and establishing a more sustainable model for ongoing support.

Assessed existing systems and infrastructure across municipal locations.
Identified and addressed undocumented dependencies that could affect repairs, upgrades, or replacements.
Applied municipal technology experience to the City’s unique infrastructure challenges.
Delivered NetContinuum™ managed networking + connectivity through one continuous model combining deployment, monitoring, lifecycle management, and support.

The City gained a stronger operational foundation designed to maintain performance over time and ensure issues were addressed as they emerged, without placing additional strain on internal resources.

Supporting the Infrastructure Communities Depend On

Today, the City of McLaughlin’s environment supports:

Three connected municipal buildings using managed, fixed wireless connectivity
Desktop systems used in daily municipal operations
A Teams-enabled conference room supporting City Hall collaboration
An AMR/AMI access point located on a nearby water tower

For the City, success isn't defined by technology itself. It's measured through outcomes that help staff serve their community more effectively:

Reliable uptime and operational continuity
Faster issue resolution
Predictable support costs
Easy-to-use technology that staff can depend on without distraction

Perhaps most importantly, municipal employees gained confidence knowing support was available when they needed it.

"The short duration between incident reporting and resolution is quite possibly the biggest selling point for our staff. I can't understate the level of reassurance this affords our users."
- City Council Member Josef Verbanac

Responsive support reduced uncertainty, minimized disruption, and freed staff to remain focused on the work in front of them.

Invisible Infrastructure Means Success

Unlike roads, buildings, or utility infrastructure, networks often receive little attention when they're functioning well. But the systems municipalities rely on every day depend on secure, reliable connectivity operating behind the scenes.

For the City of McLaughlin, one of the clearest indicators of success has been the absence of disruption.

"Things are largely invisible to both the Council and the public at large, which readily correlates with success. Infrastructure is not especially sexy, but if operations are not interrupted by technical issues, then everybody's pretty happy."
- City Council Member Josef Verbanac

Technology became less of a daily concern and more of a dependable foundation supporting municipal services.

A Different Approach to Municipal Networking + Connectivity

Municipal leaders face increasing expectations while working within finite budgets and lean internal teams. The challenge isn't a lack of commitment or capability. It’s finding sustainable ways to manage infrastructure that’s become increasingly critical to day-to-day operations.

The City's experience highlights an important shift in thinking: networks are no longer static assets that can be revisited every five years.

They’re critical infrastructure requiring continuous management, visibility, and support.

For municipalities evaluating their own environments, the City's advice is straightforward:

“Understand your operational and technical requirements. Know what infrastructure is already in place. Plan realistically for current and future funding needs.” - City Council Member Josef Verbanac

Reliable connectivity and operational continuity don’t happen by accident.

They require the same intentional stewardship municipalities apply to the other systems their communities depend on.

Because when networks are continuously supported and strengthened, municipal teams gain the capacity to focus on what matters most: delivering services that keep their communities running.

Download the Case Study

Check Your Network Lifecycle Health

Networks are no longer “set it and forget it” infrastructure. To help municipalities identify where gaps form over time, we’ve created a practical Network Lifecycle Health Check.

It highlights common risk areas in network environments and how they can impact operational continuity.

Learn how Northriver IT’s NetContinuum™ delivers continuous monitoring, support, and modernization for the connectivity municipalities depend on.

Download the Network Lifecycle Health Check