R2023-278 Resolution Accepting the Proposal from CivicPlus for a New Website and Communication Platform

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MEMO DATE: December 18, 2023 TO: Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe and City Council Members FROM: Scott Wrighton, City Manager Jon Kindseth, Deputy City Manager Ryan Huffer, Communication Coordinator SUBJECT: Resolution Accepting the Proposal from CivicPlus for a New Website and Communication Platform RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended by staff that this item be approved as presented. BACKGROUND: It is an ongoing desire from the City Council that the City continue to improve communication and civic engagement with our residents and businesses. One of the most important communication tools and modalities that we have is the City's website. The City website serves as the central library for most if not all City public announcements and documents and serves as a transparent timeline. Although we have started actively using social media to engage and communicate with our citizens, these platforms usually refer a person back to the City website for more in-depth information. The current City website has not received significant updates since it was launched in 2016. The website has been kept up to date as far as content is concerned, but the website has not been reorganized or refreshed as more information has been added over the years. All websites are recommended to be refreshed or redesigned every 3-5 years,particularly municipal websites which are far more encompassing than other types of websites. After researching various websites,web developers and communication platforms over the past year, staff are recommending a new website altogether as shown in the attached proposal and backup material from CivicPlus. They are the largest municipal website company in the country, and they have developed more than 5,000 municipal websites. This is more than just a replacement website, but a new communication platform which includes a website, automatic communication tools, and more. An additional benefit is that the City is already using other products within the CivicPlus product umbrella,thus consolidating the number of companies the City uses for different services. CivicPlus designs websites with the goal of getting a user to their desired information in three clicks or less. This proposal includes a chatbot powered by Al technology, which uses website content to automatically provide answers to citizen questions. The proposal includes a newsletter tool, making it easy to design and electronically deliver a City newsletter, eliminating the need for additional services like Constant Contact.