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Staff proposes website redesign, ADA tools and upgraded council meeting AV/transcription

5834230 · August 6, 2025

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Summary

Communications and clerk staff requested funding to redesign the CivicPlus website for ADA compliance, add CivicSend email tools and AudioEye accessibility scanning, and contract for a council‑meeting audio/video service (Swagit/Granicus) offering live filming, closed captioning and searchable transcripts.

City staff proposed a website redesign and accessibility tools plus upgraded council‑room audio/video to improve transparency, ADA compliance and searchable meeting records.

Marketing and communications described a CivicPlus website redesign (site built in 2008) and a 48‑month redesign/maintenance cycle; staff said the city must meet an April 2027 accessibility deadline and that the redesign, CivicSend (email/communications platform) and AudioEye (accessibility scanning/monitor) would help meet ADA requirements and reduce the risk of litigation. The city clerk’s office requested an online public‑records/FOIA portal (Just FOIA integrated with Laserfiche) to let constituents request, pay for and receive records without staff time spent processing phone or in‑person requests.

Communications also proposed an audio/video provider (Swagit/Granicus) to record and livestream meetings, provide closed captions and searchable transcripts, and enable time‑stamped navigation by agenda item. Staff said most peer municipalities use similar platforms; the lowest recurring streaming/hosting services include an annual fee (staff cited recurring costs in the presentation) and one‑time costs to fix room audio and cameras. Council and staff discussed tradeoffs — audio quality and captions were the highest priority; staff noted most of the one‑time cost relates to fixing hardwired audio interference and upgrading equipment.

No contract was approved during the workshop; staff asked council to consider these items for the proposed budget and highlighted the public‑hearing and ADA compliance timelines.