Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 2.B
Meeting Date: January 28, 2026
From: Ryan Hunt, Communications & Events Manager & Matthew Levy, Enterprise Systems Analyst
Title: New City Website Reveal
RECOMMENDATION:
For presentation purposes only.
BACKGROUND:
The City's website serves as the primary digital gateway for residents, businesses, and visitors to access City services, information, and resources. The previous website was launched in 2008, with a minor update in 2016, and had not undergone a significant redesign project. After a comprehensive redesign process, the new website launched on January 22, 2025.
DISCUSSION:
The redesigned website represents the City's first major web overhaul since 2008. Over the years, the previous site had accumulated outdated content, broken links, redundant pages, and inconsistent formatting that made navigation increasingly difficult for users.
This project was a collaborative effort between the Communications and Information Technology departments. Matthew Levy, Enterprise Systems Analyst, played a critical role in the redesign, providing technical expertise and ensuring a smooth migration to the new Granicus platform. Staff conducted an extensive audit of the existing site, working with department heads and designated liaisons to archive obsolete materials, consolidate duplicate content, update department information, and restructure the site architecture to reflect how residents actually search for services.
A key feature of the new website is the Service Finder, a powerful tool functioning as a mini app for residents, allowing them to quickly find answers and resolve issues without navigating through multiple pages. This feature transforms how our community interacts with City services online, making it faster and easier for residents to get what they need.
Additional improvements include:
Modern, user-friendly interface with streamlined navigation Comprehensive content cleanup and removing outdated and redundant information Enhanced search functionality
Improved accessibility for users with disabilities (ADA compliance) Mobile-responsive design for seamless access on all devices Updated visual design reflecting the City's current brand identity Modernized event and news sections for better community engagement The website will continue to be refined based on user feedback and analytics, with training sessions for staff scheduled the week of February 2–6, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This is an informational item only.
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
This item supports Strategic Plan Goal D-4: Leverage technology to increase and improve online services, improve access to public information, and improve city capabilities to monitor, automate, and manage operational data remotely.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.