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HomeMy WebLinkAbout08.18.2008• • COUNCIL WORK SESSION August 18, 2008 4:50 p.m. Council Chambers Members present: Mayor Hurley, Cole, Getty, Hart, Greenwood, Steve Schmitt, Welper, Reggie Schmitt. Moved by Steve Schmitt, seconded by Cole that the Agenda, as proposed, be approved. Ayes: Seven. Motion carried. Mayor Hurley explained that the Waterloo Industrial Development Association (WIDA) helped with development of the city's economic development website. WIDA interviewed four local internet/marketing firms for that project, and chose Terry L. Butz Creative, Inc. WIDA then approached Mayor Hurley to use the same firm to improve the city's website. Mayor Hurley asked Aric Schroeder, City Planner, to be the city's staff person to help with building the new website. Once the city accepts the new website, the city will have to pay $22,000.00 to Terry L. Butz Creative, Inc. for our share of the cost. Mayor Hurley will bring the proposal back to the council for formal approval of the cost for the improvements. Tom Penaluna, President of WIDA, explained that they originally sent RFPs to firms in the Cedar Valley for creation of an economic development site. Seven proposals were received, WIDA invited four local internet/marketing firms to make a presentation, and they chose Terry L. Butz Creative, a local company. Phil Mealey from Terry L. Butz Creative, Inc. reviewed the new website. The new menu includes: services, administration, employment, forms and links. Councilperson Cole asked if Butz Creative wrote the majority of the contents or was the information cut and pasted from the current city website. Mr. Mealey explained that they met with the city departments. A lot of the departments already had a lot of information and some departments did not have any information on the current website. Butz Creative has not written a lot of the descriptions. Mr. Penaluna noted that the new website has a lot of depth, and information can be retrieved quickly, easily and efficiently. A committee, including Aric Schroeder, fine tuned the design, with this being the final project. In answer to a question from Councilperson Cole, Mr. Penaluna stated that the design of the city's website was not bid out. Mr. Mealey explained the cost for the website is for administration, coordination of data, people, design, functionality, and modification of data. Some items will be data based and others will be archived. Councilperson Greenwood asked if there is an external log because if we could capture e-mail addresses, the city would be capable of contacting those people. Mr. Mealey responded that they will be able to track and analyze traffic on the website. Councilperson Cole asked if there is interaction capabilities. Mr. Mealey responded that is very limited, and there is no e-commerce capability. Mr. Mealey explained that to include interaction capabilities could cost between $1,500.0 and $8,000.00. Mr. Mealey noted that some cities have the capability to pay parking tickets, utilities, taxes, etc. Mayor Hurley commented that the League of Cities has noted some problems with e-commerce because of the processing fees. Councilperson Steve Schmitt asked if someone in the city has been designated to coordinate the information. Mayor Hurley responded that would probably be on a department to department basis as far as updates. Councilperson Steve Schmitt asked who currently updates the weekly council agendas and council minutes. Nancy Eckert, City Clerk, reported that she sends the weekly council agendas and minutes to a person at the Library who puts that information on the city's website. Mayor Hurley noted that the Library is currently handling the maintenance and Council Work Session August 18, 2008 Page 2 updates on the city's website at no cost, but they no longer want to be responsible for the website. Councilperson Cole noted that the letter from Mr. Penaluna says they offered to raise money from local businesses to pay for most of the project if the city could come up with $22,000.00, and she asked what is the total cost of the project. Mr. Penaluna responded the total cost is $55,000.00. Mr. Penaluna explained that Terry L. Butz Creative, Inc. could host the website for about $29.00 per month. The city will need to have someone maintain and update the site or those duties could be outsourced. Mr. Mealey noted that the website is about 95 percent completed. Mr. Mealey noted that they would like to get to the point where the site meets with approval and then the city can take it over or Terry L. Butz Creative, Inc. can host and maintain it for a cost. Mayor Hurley asked council members and department heads to look at the new site and to let them know of any changes, corrections, etc. With no further business before the council, it was moved by Cole, seconded by Reggie Schmitt that the meeting be adjourned at 5:25 p.m. Ayes: Seven. Motion carried. Nancy Eckert City Clerk • •