A Thanksgiving Note to the Unseen Heroes of Municipal IT
By Jeff Reiter – CEO, RWK IT Services
Every Thanksgiving, there's a scene that plays out in neighborhoods across Chicagoland: families gathered around tables, plates full, laughter spilling into kitchens. Most folks are unplugging from work, shifting into gratitude.
But not everyone gets to fully step away.
In villages like Brookfield, Crest Hill, or Oak Lawn, someone is still monitoring uptime. Someone is making sure the 911 server is steady, FOIA systems stay responsive, and emergency networks remain secure. While others are logging off, you’re quietly keeping the village online.
We don’t talk about that kind of service much. But we should.
The Unsung Role of the Municipal IT Director
You don’t wear a badge, but your work supports those who do. You don’t collect trash or plow roads, but your systems track the teams that do. You make sure permits can be processed, bills paid, and critical alerts delivered.
You do it with a small team—maybe just yourself—and a to-do list that could wrap around Village Hall. You navigate outdated hardware, shrinking budgets, and high expectations… all while staying compliant with CJIS, NIST, and a patchwork of regulations that never seem to pause.
You don’t do it for the spotlight.
You do it because it matters.
Why Gratitude Matters Now More Than Ever
This time of year, the word “thanks” gets tossed around a lot. But let’s not miss the deeper point.
Gratitude, real gratitude, means seeing the people who keep things going when no one’s watching.
It means acknowledging the IT director who’s working behind the scenes so that the village doesn’t miss a beat.
It means recognizing that you are part of the reason your community feels safe, connected, and cared for—even when they don’t know your name.
So let this post be the thank-you no one thinks to write.
You Deserve a Moment to Breathe
If you’re reading this during a quick break—or after hours when things are finally quiet—just know this:
You’ve done more this year than most will ever realize. You’ve juggled upgrades, audits, ransomware scares, late-night support calls, and budget meetings. You’ve protected your systems and your town’s reputation.
And even if no one else says it?
Thank you.
You are the quiet strength behind your village’s operations. The digital backbone of essential services. And in a year that likely brought its fair share of fire drills and late-night fixes, you’ve stayed steady.
That’s something to be proud of.
From One Public-Sector Tech to Another
I’ve walked those same hallways. I've held my breath during outages and tried to explain budget line items to a skeptical board. I know how it feels to carry the weight of “what if the system fails?”
So from one municipal tech worker to another: I see you. And I’m grateful for you.
Here’s to a peaceful Thanksgiving, filled with more quiet than chaos—and a few hours where nothing breaks.
You’ve earned that, and more.
