Cleveland city council eyes website makeover for 2012

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Cleveland City Council is considering a city website makeover for 2012.

During a recent planning retreat, council members learned how a national Web design company could rework the city’s image and add site features such as messages on approaching storms, road closings and more.

Council members have encouraged active use of the city’s current website, www.cityofclevelandtn.com.

But one councilman didn’t see the need to hire a national company.

“What’s wrong with doing this [reworking the website] locally?” Councilman Bill Estes asked.

Chris Miller, head of the city’s information technology program, told council members the company, CivicPlus, caters to municipalities and has expertise on what local governments need.

He said the contract could be awarded within the current information technology budget.

CivicPlus, based in Manhattan, Kan., provides electronic communications to more than 900 cities and counties of all sizes nationwide. The Web page would be developed in 10 phases over a seven-month period.

In Tennessee, CivicPlus customers include Shelby, Williamson and Madison counties and the cities of Bartlett, Farragut, Goodlettsville, Millington, Arlington, Manchester and Paris.

Miller said the new city site could include an array of services ranging from emergency alert notifications, bid postings, e-pay abilities for taxes and fines, job postings, news and more.

He said the estimated cost would be $34,447 for development and one year of support, maintenance and hosting. Ongoing support, maintenance and hosting would be $4,833 a year, billed starting with the second year of the contract.

If the city chooses the company, Estes said, he would oppose putting advertising on the site as some municipalities do.

“We don’t want company names associated with municipal government,” he said.

City Manager Janice Casteel said the company does not require advertising on the city site.

Miller said the company also would not own the city’s domain name.

The council likely will revisit the issue Jan. 9 at its first 2012 meeting.