Council delays website redesign after debate over $30,000 contract and hosting costs

The Newcastle City Council voted 4-3 on June 3 against approving a $30,000 contract to redesign the city website, after several council members said they needed clearer information about ongoing hosting costs and contract terms.

City Clerk (presenter) told the council, “Tonight before you is a ... resolution to approve a contract with Black Cat Studios” to build a new WordPress site intended to replace the city’s current proprietary system. The proposal from Black Cat Studios (designer Jen Pack) included a recommended third‑party hosting plan priced at roughly $240 the first year and $360 per year thereafter.

Council members said they supported a modern, easier‑to‑navigate site but disagreed on whether the hosting costs and contract schedule should be locked before approving the redesign. Deputy Mayor Lakota urged a safeguard on recurring costs: “I would just want ... in the contract that they lock the hosting cost $360 for 7 years,” she said. Council member Charbonneau argued the opposite, saying there is a “cost to inaction” given staff and resident complaints about the current site.

Supporters of the contract, including Council member Sherlock, said owning a WordPress site would give the city flexibility and reduce long‑term costs compared with the current vendor arrangement. Sherlock said she was “in favor of moving forward with the redesign,” and noted that once the site is built the city would be free to change hosts.

Staff described the present arrangement with CivicLive (now part of PowerSchool) as restrictive and increasingly costly: the city manager reported the city began paying about $4,000 a year in hosting in 2015 and that the annual fee has grown since. Staff said the redesign would produce a city‑owned WordPress site so the city would not be locked to a single vendor after launch.

The motion on the resolution to authorize the city manager to execute the contract with Black Cat Studios failed on a 3‑4 vote. Council members who opposed the resolution said they want staff to provide a firm hosting price and options before committing to the $30,000 build cost; proponents said delaying would prolong residents’ difficulty finding key city information.

The council directed staff to return with further information on hosting options and contract terms; staff proposed a January 1, 2026, launch window if the contract is later approved. In the meantime, the city will remain under its existing website contract and staff said they will pursue additional background information about hosting providers and potential multi‑year hosting rates.

Planning and next steps include a revised contract packet at a subsequent meeting with explicit hosting price quotes and details about cancellation/proration under the city’s current CivicLive agreement.