Borchardt takes helm as Oklahoma City IT director

Oklahoma City’s newly appointed IT Director Dusty Borchardt (pictured), is setting his sights on citywide alignment, legacy system modernisation, and stronger cross-departmental partnerships as he steps into the role.

“My top priorities include strengthening strategic alignment with city departments, developing a citywide digital strategy, and improving upon a strong foundation of IT governance,” he told Cities Today.

Borchardt officially assumed the position following the retirement of Schad Meldrum, who served the city for 25 years. The appointment was announced by City Manager Craig Freeman, who praised Borchardt’s long-standing contributions.

“Dusty has been a valuable member of our team for 20 years, earning a reputation for being an excellent project manager and strategic thinker,” Freeman said. “His dedication, passion and commitment will be assets in his new leadership role for the city.”

Borchardt will lead a department of 130 employees across three IT divisions. He plans to build on Oklahoma City’s recent digital transformation efforts by expanding data-driven decision-making and streamlining digital services.

“We’ve seen the power of technology to improve service delivery and drive data-informed decisions,” he said. “There are opportunities to expand our data strategy to support cross-departmental insights and make these capabilities more accessible to our employees. Additionally, use of our digital services has reinforced the need to continue simplifying resident interactions through intuitive platforms.”

With experience as both Assistant IT Director and Chief Technology Officer, Borchardt is approaching the task of modernising legacy systems with an emphasis on security and operational continuity.

“We’re taking a phased, risk-informed approach–prioritising legacy systems based on operational impact and security posture,” he said. “As services shift to the cloud, we’re integrating cybersecurity best practices into our vendor requirements and selection process.”

Borchardt also stressed the importance of close collaboration across departments.

“We’re planning to enhance our IT governance processes to promote transparency, prioritise projects based on citywide impact, and ensure that technology investments align with broader service delivery goals. Open dialogue, regular strategic alignment meetings, and shared accountability will be key.”

Image: City of Oklahoma