6.2 ERMUSR 12-08-2020UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO:FROM:
ERMU Commission Michelle Canterbury– Executive Administrative Manager
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
December 8, 2020 6.2
SUBJECT:
ERMU Website Redevelopment Initiative
ACTION REQUESTED:
None
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION:
Work on the Website Redevelopment Initiative began in March 2019. After identifying the goals
and objectives for the new site, a request for proposal (RFP) for the website design was
developed, interviews were conducted, and a vendor, Prime Advertising & Design, was selected
for the 2020 budgeted project.
The web development process kicked off in January 2020. Over the following ten months,
ERMU staff worked closely with Prime Advertising & Design through the stages of the
development process to successfully launch the new site on November 4, 2020:
Stage 1 – Discovery & Strategy
Stage 2 – Design
Stage 3 – Programming
Stage 4 – Content & Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Stage 5 – Test & Review
Stage 6 – Go Live
When youfirst visit the newsite, you willnotice a fresh modern lookthat incorporates our
brand throughout. Eye-catching images and concise content are also common themes. Besides
looking good, the site functions seamlessly, offering a more user-friendly experience. The clean,
simple navigation that cuts down on clicks and the fully mobile responsive design are just a few
things our customers will appreciate.
Behind the scenes the site was designed using best practices for the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. Additionally, we
have added a special accessibility widget to our site that allows persons with specific disabilities
to adjust the website’s user interface and design it to their personal needs. Much time was also
spent on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) that was integrated throughout the site to make for
better organic search engine results.
______________________________________________________________________________
Page 1 of 2
165
Thesuccessof thisinitiativewould nothave been possiblewithout thecollaborativeeffortsof a
teamof people. I wouldlike to acknowledgeall the ERMU departmentsthat participated in the
evaluation processandshared their ideasand feedback on what wouldmake a great website.
Kudos to our Communications Coordinator who contributed a great deal and time and effort,
consistently had a can-do attitude, and offered a calm patient presence throughout the project.
I’d also like to acknowledge Prime Advertising & Design, who assigned an amazing team of
people to our project that were great to work with and were passionate about putting out the
best website possible. Last, I would like to thank the Commission who supported this initiative
and approved the financial resources necessary to achieve the results.
One of our commission-adopted planning themes is Communication, and it is our goal to
improve the effectiveness of our communications inside the organization, with our customers,
and with the community. Our new website, which is often people’s first impression of who we
are, represents us and our commitment to being the best we can be. This website is something
we can all be proud of.
Staff will be providing a brief overview of the website at the time of the commission meeting.
ATTACHMENTS:
Link:ERMU Website
______________________________________________________________________________
Page 2 of 2
166
2020 GOVERNANCE AGENDA
Tuesday, January 14:Tuesday, February 11:
Annual Review of Committee ChartersReview Strategic Plan and 2019Annual
BusinessPlan results
Tuesday, March 10:Tuesday, April 14:
Oath of OfficeAudit of 2019Financial Report
Election of OfficersFinancial Reserves Allocations
Annual Commissioner Orientation and ReviewReview 2019Performance Metrics
GovernanceResponsibilitiesand Role
Tuesday, May 12:Tuesday, June 9:
Annual General Manager Performance
Evaluation and Goal Setting
Tuesday, July 14:Tuesday, August 11:
Annual Commission Performance EvaluationAnnual BusinessPlanReview Proposed 2021
Travel, Training, Dues, Subscriptions, and Fees
Review and Update Strategic Plan
Budget
Tuesday, September 8:Tuesday, October 13:
Annual Business Plan Review Proposed 2021Annual Business Plan Review Proposed 2021
Capital ProjectsBudgetExpensesBudget
Tuesday, November 10:Tuesday, December 8:
Annual Business Plan -Review Proposed 2021Adopt 2021Official Depository,Newspaper,
Rates and Other Revenueand Regular Meeting Schedule
Adopt 2021Fee ScheduleAdopt 2021 Governance Agenda
2021Stakeholder Communication PlanAdopt2021Annual Business Plan
167