ThisWeek CW 10/10/2013
Canal Winchester is adding new online tools to the city website.
City staff members have been working to implement a new Granicus software application, which will allow for timely online posting of meeting agendas and meeting minutes. It will include a searchable online archive and put in place the potential for streaming audio from public meetings and providing legislative workflows.
“We had hoped to be live with Granicus in September, and we are this much closer, so by the end of October, we will put the page up on the website so the public can see all of our meeting minutes and agendas and then we’ll be up and running,” Clerk of Council Stacey Bashore told council during the Sept. 30 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Council members said they look forward to using the new system.
However, council President Steve Donahue said that in preliminary testing of the software, he didn’t see the text of the ordinances, only the reference numbers. Bashore explained that the text would be included before the application goes “live.”
Council members Rick Deeds and Bobbie Mershon also asked that more information be included regarding the actual names from roll-call votes as opposed to just the vote results, as well as the inclusion of committee and subcommittee members’ names when referencing those.
Bashore said she believes that would also be possible, explaining that there will be a learning curve to using the new application.
The new update is part of a larger effort by the city to modernize access to public records and provide better online information and communication with the public.
The city has also hired the company CivicPlus to design and launch a new city website.
“We’ve needed a new website for a long time now and we get a lot of feedback day-to-day from residents about what they like and especially what they don’t like,” Jackson said. “This new website will be rebuilt from scratch as well as include email maintenance.”
According to Jackson, the new website is expected to launch in spring and will cost the city about $36,000 over the four-year agreement.