HomeMy WebLinkAbout8E - Website Launch
16200 Eagle Creek Avenue S.E.
Prior Lake, MN 55372-1714
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE:
AGENDA #:
PREPARED BY:
October 3, 2005
8E
Nathan Oster, Communications Coordinator
AGENDA ITEM:
COMMUNICATIONS UPDATE: Website Launch
DISCUSSION:
Prior lake will achieve its 2030 Vision and Strategic Plan if people are aware of and
actively involved in the community's plans and partnerships. This active participation is
necessary to make great things happen. Earlier this year, the council endorsed a
communication plan for 2006, calling for a comprehensive approach for sharing
information with residents.
One of the key elements of that communications plan calls for a redesign of our city
Web site, www.citvoforiorlake.com. to give it a more modern look and create new
avenues for reaching different segments of the community.
Tonight, I'll be providing a demonstration of our redesigned site and its enhanced
features. Here are the top 10 reasons why this site is better than the previous one:
1) Bigger logo, brighter colors, more photographs throughout the site.
2) Community Calendar, with Weather Temps/Forecast
3) Scrolling News and Announcements Section
4) Improved access to Doc Center (no user names or passwords required)
5) Signup area for people wishing to be added to city's electronic news service
6) Prior lake Online Poll .
7) Newsroom section features archives of press releases, newsletters, brochures
8) Expanded coverage of LAC, PAC, PC (minutes, members, agendas, etc.)
9) Sixteen pages devoted exclusively to the 2030 Vision and Strategic Plan
10) Dynamic menus provide better navigation - everything is just a click away!
This is just the first phase of Web site renovations. More new features will be added in
2006 that are consistent with recommendations of the long Range Planning
Committee. Some of them include: city manager blog, feedback form and O&A section
in 2030 Vision section, and the Partnership of the Month feature.
Our 2005 resident survey suggested that 42 percent of our residents consider our Web
site either a major or minor source for their city news. It also ranked third (behind the
American and the Wavelength) when residents were asked for their preferred source
for city news.
July of 2005 was the best month ever for the old site: 16,100 visits, 295,000 hits during
the month. With this initial wave of improvements, I am confident that we will build upon
those numbers.
RECOMMENDED:
formal action is re uired
Revi~tj
www.cityofpriorlake.com
Phone 952.447.4230 / Fax 952.447.4245