TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager and Department of Technology Services to engage the Port of Long Beach and other interested Enterprise Departments in the development of a new
"24 Hour Online City Hall," and report back to Council within 30 days the costs of development and implementation of a new Content Management System and City Website Redesign.
DISCUSSION
The City of Long Beach currently maintains www.longbeach.gov and an online content management system that was developed in 2004. Our city's most important communication system is almost 8 years old, largely outdated, and unable to meet new software and technology demands. Our content management system (city website software) is operated by Civica. Long Beach is hindered by the fact that we are Civica's largest client and the system's limited operating system. Today's market includes numerous content management systems, complete with cutting edge features and the latest technology.
Investment in technology can create efficiency, a more accessible government, and, most importantly, user-friendly features to assist residents, local businesses and city staff. A recent example is the "Go Long Beach" smartphone application, which has been downloaded by more than 3700 residents and assisted in fixing more than 7000 neighborhood issues. Technology now exists that can make most City Hall services available on-line, 24 hours a day. We have an opportunity to connect city government to residents in ways that will increase efficiency, and improve customer service and communication. The new Long Beach City Hall Online could include numerous new features including Neighborhood Mapping, Social Media Integration, and expansion of on-line services.
This year, Long Beach will make capital and one-time improvements using oil revenue funds.
This may be the only opportunity that Long Beach has to re-imagine the city's website for the foreseeable future. Technology Services estimates that the approximate cost f...
Click here for full text