07-12-2017 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• Website refresh after four years With CivicPlus, the City will be provided a fully customized website with many new features including the ability to change pages on our own, create city forms and applications, employment applications, searchable databases, a calendaring system for upcoming events, utilization of mailing lists, subscription services for the public, current weather forecast, and video/audio streaming. Some additional features that CivicPlus offers are; website security, emergency notifications, and the ability to add on additional software in the future if needed (e.g. recreational management software). Previously, staff had thought that a template design would be sufficient for the needs of the City website. With our new goals of community engagement and the implementation of social media, the new site will allow for integration with a direct link to social media to minimize postings in multiple spots, as well as, that ability to add additional services that may be coming in the future (e.g. recreational management software and credit card services). The current website will be operational until the new site is ready to launch. The estimated Go- Live date is February of 2018. That is a conservative estimate and could be sooner depending on how soon we start the process. Before launching the new site, staff will be trained and have the chance to test, monitor, and edit the site. Then once it is considered acceptable, the site will be launched. A few local cities that use CivicPlus are: Vadnais Heights, Maplewood, Roseville, Arden Hills, Blaine, Brooklyn Center, and Saint Anthony Village. The dollars need for the website upgrade would come from the Cable TV Fund. There is currently $25,000 budgeted for the new website. $6,500 would be needed this year and for the next three years. Starting the fifth year the annual cost will be $3,675 plus a 5% technology fee. Staff would need to revise the budget for the following years to address these costs. Included items are: • CivicPlus Proposal • Contract for services Staff recommends entering into a professional services contract with CivicPlus, a reputable nationwide Local Government focused Website provider for $6500 per year for the next four years ($26,000), to create a new website with support options and hosting included in one package.