Agenda - Council - 03/14/2017 - Laserfiche WebLink

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Councilmember Kuzma stated that he would want to ensure that staff has enough specific information to provide to the developer so that there are not multiple change orders that the developer was not able to plan for. Councilmember LeTourneau stated that it appears the bulk of this redesign will be a "reskin" to provide a new look, with functionality following that. He noted that the current site was state of the art for the time it was created,while the new websites the Council just viewed are state of the art for today. He stated that the costs vary so much from vendor to vendor but noted that he does not seem to know enough about the entire process to understand that variation in cost. He noted that he was involved with the redesign of two websites recently for other organizations that appeared to be similar in the end result but had very different costs. He asked how the City could avoid overspending on items that would not be needed and could be done in house by staff. He stated that he is interested in how the website looks and the functionality but would want to ensure that the cost is not too high for the design and monthly maintenance. Mayor Strommen noted that part of the purpose of this case is for the Council to weigh in on the reasons for the web update and whether some elements are more important than others, to ensure that the goals desired are met and then allowing staff to manage the RFP process in the best method possible using their expertise. Councilmember Shryock stated that it takes a lot of time to redesign an entire website from scratch and recognized that staff could not make that level of commitment but asked whether staff would be able to complete the maintenance themselves. Information Technology Manager Fredrickson explained that currently the City does not pay for hosting. He stated that the City currently also does not have control over the backend with the exception of updates, and cannot make updates to the software. He stated that if the City chooses a third-party host, they would probably have an annual cost but would also have updated software each year and would also have a support team available if major problems arise. He stated concerning ADA compliance, that process is currently the responsibility of staff to enter the information but noted that with a new vendor the process could be more automated and "staff friendly". Councilmember Kuzma stated that the cost would be higher if the City relies on the developer to tell them what they need, versus providing more information to the potential developer. He noted that the City might have the option to have the site hosted by the telephone company vendor for a low cost. Information Technology Manager Fredrickson stated that the hosting is not a requirement of the RFP. Parks and Assistant Public Works Superintendent Riverblood asked if there would be an option to sign up for text alerts. Information Technology Manager Fredrickson stated that would depend upon the vendor and could be an option to contract out. City Council Work Session / February 28, 2017 Page 4 of 7