Fort Bend County neighbors got their first look on Tuesday at a new app that's been in the works for months. "My FBC" is the county's new app for iPhone and Android users.
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"It's pretty good," Fort Bend County resident Irene Lilra said. "It's informative. It gives you a lot of information and things going on in the county."
"It seems like a pretty useful app for getting the news in Fort Bend County," resident Osejie Olear added.
But the app does more than report county news. Developed by a county employee, the app allows neighbors to chat with the county judge, departments, and even figure out what can be confusing information.
"How do I vote?" Fort Bend County assistant IT director Jahan Tolliver explained. "Where do I go? Where do I register? How long are the wait times at my voting site?"
Instead of going to a county building, the app allows users to submit documents, request public records, and even pay bills through the app.
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"Any sensitive information will sit behind our firewalls," Tolliver explained. "Just because it's submitted, doesn't mean everybody else will see it. It'll only be accessible to those who need it."
The app's launch comes on the day that county commissioners approved spending about $700,000 from the American Rescue Plan on cybersecurity.
WATCH: Fort Bend Co. spends $700K on cybersecurity measures
Fort Bend Co. spends $700K on cybersecurity measures
"As you look around the world with different cyberattacks that are happening, we knew we needed to increase our security here in the county," said Robyn Doughtie, the county's IT director.
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Not only that, but the county approved about $125,301 in improving its cybersecurity, and hiring four new IT employees.
"What keeps me up at night is ... we'll be unprepared for something we should've been prepared for," Tolliver said.
Officials hope to have the staff hired and equipment installed over the next three months.
For more on Fort Bend County's digital expansion, follow Nick Natario on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.