Information Communication Technology Usage Policy — full text

This is an automated transcription (OCR) of the captured official document — minor recognition errors are possible; the source document governs. Snapshot 51df3885ab90 · verified 2026-06-05 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

## TOWN OF OXFORD POLICY PAGE 1 OF 4 DEPARTMENT: Council and All Departments TITLE: Information/Communication Technology Usage Policy Minutes reference date: POLICY Adopted: 16 May 2022 PAGES \_4\_ 20 June 2022 ## PURPOSE: The Town of Oxford provides internet access and electronic communications to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of overall business operations. Information/Communication Technology is used as a tool to support the delivery and enhancement of services to the public. This policy will provide users with general guidance for the appropriate use of information/communication technology with the goal of increasing the productivity of Town of Oxford employees. ## POLICY STATEMENT: The Information/Communication Technology network of the Town of Oxford, including all electronic documents generated within this network, is the property of the Town of Oxford. Members of the Council and Staff of the Town of Oxford are provided access to information technology to assist them in the performance of their duties. Users may be afforded the privilege of accessing various forms of technology including computers, printers, other peripherals, the internet, email, intranet, telephones, cell phones, and fax machines. These users have a basic responsibility to ensure that technology is used in a professional, lawful, and ethical manner. As required, separate policies and usage guidelines will be provided to help establish guidelines for proper use, care, maintenance, and loss prevention. As such, this policy should be read in conjunction with the Oxford Technology Devices Policy. ## ACCEPTABLE USAGE: Town of Oxford users will be provided with access to various forms of technology based on the job requirements of each individual employee, to perform the duties of the position. Information/Communication Technology equipment and programs should be used in a manner consistent with the requirements of overall operations in the Town of Oxford. Employees who remove communication devices from Town property to use at home or other sites must have authorization from the CAO or their supervisor and must exercise caution in accordance with policies that these devices always remain in their custody and control. While Information/Communication Technology generally must be used only for activities related to Town business, minor personal usage during business hours is acceptable contingent on the following guidelines: - Activity does not interfere with responsibilities and duties related to job performance. - Activity does not require excess system resources that will negatively impact on operations. - Activity is not related to personal business ventures. After normal business hours, employees may enjoy personal usage of the Town of Oxford Information/Communication Technology equipment and programs in a professional, lawful, and ethical manner and in accordance with this and other related policies, so long as there is not an incremental cost to the Town. ## UNACCEPTABLE USAGE: The Town of Oxford has a limited amount of bandwidth and storage available to it. Therefore, users must not perform acts that waste or dominate these resources. The following usages are prohibited: - Spending excessive amounts of time during normal business hours on the Internet for nonmunicipal purposes. - Playing online games. - Excessively using personal online messaging (Facebook, Twitter, MSN, Yahoo, etc.); the determination of what constitutes excessive usage shall be left to individual supervisors or the CAO. - Downloading large files for personal use. - Accessing high bandwidth streaming audio and/or video files for non-municipal related purposes, without authorization of the CAO; (i.e.: radio broadcast, video such as YouTube, Facebook, CNN or TSN). - Making, sharing and/or distributing unauthorized copies of software used by the Town. - Any use which is contrary to the laws of Canada and/or the Province of Nova Scotia. ## OFFENSIVE MATERIALS: Participating in sexual, ethnic, and racial harassment by way of e-mail, the internet or any other form of Information/Communication Technology provided by the Town of Oxford is prohibited. Users are prohibited from actively searching out, storing, sharing, or intentionally authoring and/or viewing this type of material. Even with the filtering systems in place, with the amount of information contained on the internet, it is difficult to avoid receiving e-mails or attaining search results on the internet without sometimes being directed to materials that are sexually explicit or are offensive for some other reason. Should this type of material be encountered, it shall be deleted immediately. If difficulties are encountered in deleting this material, the IT department must be contacted immediately for assistance. ## PRIVACY: Users who have been granted access to Information/Communication Technology to assist them with their jobs should have no expectation of privacy in anything they create, store, send or receive using the Town's Information/Communication Technology. The Town of Oxford has the ability, and reserves the right, to monitor and maintain records on all aspects of its computer system including internet usage, file storage, participation in online discussion groups, file downloads, messaging, and any other electronic communications deemed necessary. PAGE 2 OF 4 ## SECURITY: Users are not permitted to download or install software without the authorization of IT or the CAO. Certain primary programs as outlined in Appendix "A" attached may be updated by users as required. Users are not permitted to disable or alter in any way the Town's anti-virus software. Each user will be assigned a username and password for the applications that are necessary to perform their duties. This information must remain confidential and should not be shared with others at any time. Users are to ensure that they log off all software programs such as Sage50 Accounting, TownSuite, network, and Internet-based applications at the end of the day and all information systems are to be secured prior to ending their workday.  Ll lay Linda Cloney, CAO Town of Oxford Dated: November 22, 2023 Page 3 of 4 ## Page 4 of 4 ## Information/Communication Technology Usage Policy "Appendix "A" 1. Antivirus Software - Spyware/Adware Software 3. *Adobe Acrobat 4. Microsoft Office 5. Windows 10/11 6. TownSuite 7. Sage50 Accounting Automatic Updates/Annual Renewal Automatic Updates/Annual Renewal Regular Updates/Annual Renewal Regular Updates/Monthly Renewal Regular Updates (**Windows 10 only). Updates as per TownSuite Updates as per Sage50 * For those that have the Adobe Acrobat application.