Brian Dennis spoke at last week's City Council Meeting during the public comment period. Dennis is a Redmond citizen and owner of Small Business Pioneers, a local company that creates websites. Brian and several councilmembers have concerns about city delays in fixing the old city website (redmond.gov). Brian read to Council and Mayor, the following:
For the one or two people out there that don't know, I am a strong advocate of websites as powerful tools to disseminate information and engage individuals. Yet quality websites cost real money, time and effort to develop, maintain and market. Keeping content fresh multiples costs. Based my professional experience I have strong reason to believe city staff has neither budget, time, nor the expertise to deliver on this proposed project. Putting this project out for bid into our own community assures the City has the expertise and a firmly grounded budget number by which to make an informed decision. As a bonus, this process would support the very nature of the project - sustainability - within our own business community.
Council members Allen, Stilin and I all question the relationship of your other proposed project (a separate and distinct "green" website) and the fixing of redmond.gov website. Remember, $300k has been allocated for work to fix redmond.gov yet with no tangible, discernible results, and staff is now looking to spin off a new "green" website. Why spin up a new website? Fix redmond.gov! (This fix has been in the making ~two years.)What do you think of http://www.redmond.gov/? If you've only seen it once, would you go back? Can you think of reasons why the city is dragging their feet on fixing their website? Why are they starting a "green website" when redmond.gov isn't fixed? An improved website would open our government. Are they hiding something? Or afraid of something? Please enter your comments below.
Read my 10/4/2010 post: "Our Aging City Website -- Is the City of Redmond being responsible?