Woodstock Considers Website, Messaging Updates – Daily Freeman

The city of Woodstock, NY, municipal offices on Comeau Drive on May 24, 2023. (Tania Barricklo/Daily Freeman)

WOODSTOCK, NY — The city government is looking for a better website for the thousands of documents that provide the public with information about rules, regulations, recreation and other government oversight affecting the city.

On Tuesday, July 16, a sales pitch was made about the switch from the government cooperative Digital Towpath to the private company TownCloud.

The city’s current home page contains about 50 links on the left, a center section for announcements or alerts, a search box at the top right, and linked buttons at the bottom that lead to the same pages as the links on the side.

“I’ve had complaints about the city’s website for a long time,” Supervisor Bill McKenna said. “I’m not a computer person, but I don’t have a problem navigating it. … I’m probably fine with it. So if the city wants a better web page, I think this is a good way to do it.”

The city currently pays $1,200 per year for Digital Towpath. The service includes server space, a portal for adding or removing information, and unlimited email addresses.

TownCloud has proposed a three-year plan for $4,384.80 that reps promised would be easier to work with, have a simpler interface for users on the homepage, and be formatted for easier viewing on all devices. There would be varying levels of support, depending on how much input board members want on the design.

“We’ve had a number of customers ask us to take over for them and move everything to the new platform,” said sales representative Chris Haywood. “We’ve had others who really wanted to be involved from step one.”

One of the unanswered questions is how the city would migrate its email from Digital Towpath to TownCloud. TownCloud does not offer direct email services, but does integrate with other platforms.

“We don’t currently offer an email solution,” Haywood said. “Most of our customers have found that the commercial off-the-shelf systems from companies like Google and Microsoft are sufficient.”

Board members also heard from TextMyGov representative Jayden Eastman about subscribing to a messaging service that can keep residents informed during emergencies or as a reminder of upcoming events.

“You … can send out announcements and warnings to the public,” he said. “There’s also a more robust emergency portion of the program, which is much more like Amber Alert … but for the most part, it’s just general warnings.”

Depending on the modules selected, which include creating custom QR codes and social media posts, the service can be used as a simple outbound system or provide ways for residents to contact specific departments in the city. Other features may include creating videos, social media posts and customizing images. Information on the TextMyGov website shows that prices, which are based in part on population, range from $300 to $1,500 per year, depending on the services chosen.