Moab city approves contract for website redesign
by Laura Haley
contributing writer
Jan 24, 2013 | 1248 views | 0 0 comments | 6 6 recommendations | email to a friend | print
The website for the city of Moab will be redesigned and upgraded this year. The Moab City Council voted Tuesday, Jan. 22, to approve a three-year contract with CivicPlus, a company that specializes in designing websites for government entities.

CivicPlus, a Kansas-based company, was chosen by a committee made up of city staff members. The company was chosen based on the fact that it was “the most responsive, offered the most experience and [was] reasonably priced,” according to a memo given to the city council by the committee.

Under the terms of the contract, CivicPlus will redesign the website to improve functionality and online navigation. CivicPlus will also provide all necessary training for city staff who will serve as system administrators.

According to CivicPlus’s website, the company has been specializing in “city and county e-government communication system[s]” since 2001.

The three-year contract will cost the city $10,627 per year. That price initially seemed high to some council members, according to Tuesday’s discussion.

“I was taken aback by sticker shock,” council member Gregg Stucki said. “But seeing the other bids, I realized that it’s not out of line.”

The city had the option of a slightly cheaper contract which would have required a payment of $23,998 up front. However, Rachel Stenta, assistant city manager, explained that paying the yearly fee would allow the city of the option of having another website redesign done at the end of the three-year period.

“The option we would be going with is the three payments,” Stucki said. “There are some advantages to that, even though it works out to being a little bit more.”

Council member Kirstin Peterson said the website changes will be useful for city residents and employees.

“I sat in on the meeting with this company,” Peterson said. “It’s very comprehensive. I think it will be taking the city website a huge step forward to really serving our community, and being a great tool for all the departments to work with.”

Stenta said that the next step will be to develop a project schedule for the redesign, but city officials are hoping to have it done by the end of the fiscal year.

“Hopefully we can launch in July,” she said.
Share This Article |

Copyright 2013 The Times-Independent. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

report abuse...

Express yourself:

We're glad to give readers a forum to express their points of view on issues important to this community. That forum is the “Letters to the Editor.” Letters to the editor may be submitted directly to The Times-Independent through this link and will be published in the print edition of the newspaper. All letters must be the original work of the letter writer – form letters will not be accepted. All letters must include the actual first and last name of the letter writer, the writer’s address, city and state and telephone number. Anonymous letters will not be accepted.

Letters may not exceed 400 words in length, must be regarding issues of general interest to the community, and may not include personal attacks, offensive language, ethnic or racial slurs, or attacks on personal or religious beliefs. Letters should focus on a single issue. Letters that proselytize or focus on theological debates will not be published. During political campaigns, The Times-Independent will not publish letters supporting or opposing any local candidate. Thank you letters are generally not accepted for publication unless the letter has a public purpose. Thank you letters dealing with private matters that compliment or complain about a business or individual will not be published. Nor will letters listing the names of individuals and/or businesses that supported a cause or event. Thank you letters about good Samaritan acts will be considered at the discretion of the newspaper.