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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10.F.1. Software Selection for New City Website General Business 10. F. 1. SHAKOPEE TO: Mayor and City Council Mark McNeill, City Administrator FROM: Kris Wilson, Asst City Administrator DATE: 03/05/2013 SUBJECT: Software Selection for New City Website (B) Action Sought The Council is asked to authorize staff to proceed with the design and development of a new City website using the services of Vision Internet at a one -time cost of $27,455 and an annual hosting and maintenance fee of $6,600. Background Discussions regarding the need to update the City's website began last summer with staff seeking input from the Council and several advisory boards and commissions regarding desired features and enhancements for a new site. Progress was delayed by a vacancy in the Communications Coordinator position for several months last fall, but the project is once again moving forward, with the goal of rolling out a new website in the fall of 2013. At the Council's request, staff has explored both "open source" and "software as a service" options for the City's new website. Advocates see open source as a low -cost, highly flexible option for which there are countless developers that could meet our needs over the years, thereby avoiding any long -term commitment to a single vendor. However, our research has shown that the overall costs are not that low. In addition, given our very limited number of IT and Communications staff, a long -term relationship with a single vendor would actually be a good thing as it provides a degree of certainty and a known annual cost. Specifically, in the open source category, we explored websites for the cities of Albert Lea, Isle and Carver, MN, which were all developed using WordPress and the sites for Woodbury, Savage and Lakeville, which are Joomla sites. Through conversations with representatives from these larger cities, we learned that their costs for developing with open source were not notably less than what we would pay with Vision Internet. For example, the City of Woodbury spent $29,000 and the City of Savage spent $22,500 to create their sites using open source software. Furthermore, we found the sites listed above lacking in many of the features that we are seeking in the City's next website. While it is technically possible to do more with WordPress or Joomla that what is seen on those cities' sites, with the City's limited staff and technology resources it would be more time consuming and expensive in the long run to attempt this type of "al a carte" approach to building our website. The more effective and efficient route, given our needs and resources, is to go with a software service package that has been specifically designed for local government entities which are similar to Shakopee. Specifically, staff is recommending Vision Internet, which would provide designers for the new Shakopee site, as well as the web -based content management software necessary for staff to update and maintain the site on a day -to -day basis. Other software -as -a- service options were also explored, but it is the consensus of staff representing each City department that the services and end product offered by Vision Internet best meet the needs of the City. Vision Internet was founded in 1995 and currently has nearly 500 clients in 38 states. The websites of the cities of Eden Prairie and Plymouth are the nearest examples of Vision Internet's work. A listing of the key features that make Vision Internet our recommendation can be found in Attachment A. Update on Website Task Force The Website Task Force appointed by the Council last fall has met twice since the beginning of the year and is focusing on the usability, organization and design of the site. The software research and discussion has been primarily at the staff level, as it is staff who will have to use the selected software on a daily and ongoing basis. However, the Task Force has seen numerous examples of Vision's work, and it reviewed and added to the list of features being sought in the software. Additionally, the Task Force has concurred with the importance of the software being easy for staff to use as this will yield more updated content on a day -by -day basis. Other priorities that the Task Force members have expressed so far are that the new site be welcoming, clean and uncluttered. It should also appeal to both residents and business representatives, and visitors should be able to quickly and easily find the information that they came to the site seeking. Budget Impact The one -time, start-up cost for the new website would be $27,455, and the annual hosting / maintenance fee would be $6,600. This includes a custom design for the site, hosting, unlimited tech support, annual software updates and a graphic redesign every four years at no added cost. Both the upfront and the annual costs would be funded out of the City's IT Fund. While this is not an inconsequential amount, when put in perspective, it is much less than the costs born for numerous other software packages upon which the City relies. For example, the City pays $32,316per year for our payroll software, $29,400 per year for our financial software and $28,176 per year for our building permit software. The new website will provide a 24/7 service to the public and serve as the main point of communication with residents, visitors and businesses, making it worthy of an equal investment. Recommendation Following significant research and discussion, staff recommends the selection of Vision Internet for development of the City's new website. Relationship to Vision An updated website contributes to Goal B: Positively manage the challenges and opportunities presented by growth, development and change. Requested Action The Council is asked to offer a motion authorizing the appropriate officials to enter into a contract with Vision Internet for design and development of a new City website, at a cost not to exceed $27,455 for one -time design, and start-up and $6,600 per year for hosting and maintenance. Attachments: Benefits of Vision Internet Attachment A With Vision Internet, the City's next website will have: 1. Better Search Capacity — including the ability to sort search results by relevance, most recent, or category. 2. Mobile Friendly — with screen layout customized to the size of your browser window — different layouts for full screen, tablet and smart phone views. 3. Improved Navigation -- more intuitive and evolving navigation as users go deeper into the site; improved page linking abilities for staff which will provide users with multiple ways to find core information, "breadcrumb" trails at the top of each page. 4. Improved Calendar including the ability to select certain subcategories only — like "meetings" or "Parks & Rec Events" and the ability to click and save something on the City calendar directly to your personal Google or Outlook calendar. 5. Service Request Tracker — allowing residents to ask questions or notify us of issues like pot holes or damaged street signs and have their issue routed to the right staff person immediately. 6. Voluntary Sign - Up for e - Notifications for specific areas. So a parent could sign -up to receive notices when we add or cancel a Park & Rec event or a local builder could sign - up to receive an email when the permit fees page is changed. 7. Easy to Use Directories — including staff directories, service directories and, if we like, a business directory. 8. User - Friendly Features such as: small icons on each page offering a printer - friendly version as well as the option to "share" or easily email a specific page; the ability to select a small, medium or large font size (shown as A A A); "Map It" icons whenever an address is provided — such as on an event listing for the aquatic park or Huber Park — this will take the user directly to a Google Map of that site. 9. Staff Friendly Features such as the ability to schedule publication and deletion of items. This means the Saturday afternoon event doesn't stay on the front page of the website until Monday morning. The ability to schedule review of pages — so staff will be reminded of items that may need to be reviewed annually or seasonally. Broken link finders and warnings. One -click tie -ins to the City's Twitter account and Facebook pages — allowing news and information to be easily posted in three places at once. 10. 24/7 Facilities Scheduling — allowing residents to check availability and submit a reservation for a picnic shelter when it's convenient for them and not just during City office hours.