Southlake IT Staff Earn Innovation Award for Tax Aide Wi-Fi Solution

A long-term technology solution for the Library’s annual AARP Tax Aide program has earned Southlake employees Conner Cappel and Anthony Dudley the City of Southlake 2026 Employee Performance Innovation Values Award.

Cappel, a Support Services Technician, and Dudley, a System Administrator, addressed recurring network connection problems affecting the free tax preparation program. More than 350 residents rely on AARP Tax Aide, which requires a stable connection to securely transmit tax filings to the IRS.

The City’s public Wi-Fi automatically disconnected users every 30 minutes. Reconnecting through the volunteers’ secure router was even more difficult, creating delays, extending appointment times and sometimes raising the possibility that the program would run past Library operating hours.

After seeing how the disruptions affected residents and volunteers, Cappel and Dudley designed and implemented a dedicated, password-protected Wi-Fi access point at Town Hall. The connection was tailored to the program’s security and operational requirements.

The solution worked immediately, with no reported connectivity issues on the first day. Volunteers were able to assist residents more effectively, keep appointments on schedule and reduce wait times.

“Our goal was to fix the problem for good, not just get through one tax season,” Cappel said. “We wanted the volunteers to be able to focus on helping people instead of worrying about being disconnected.”

Dudley said the smooth first day was especially rewarding.

“Supporting other departments and hopefully making their job a little easier is exactly what we are here for,” he said.