City clerk designs new logo for the city
By Barb Pert Templeton
There are certainly lots of changes taking place in Marine City these days and it’s not limited to roads and water projects, officials recently approved transitioning to a new website design and hosting services with Shumaker Technology Group. They also approved a new city logo, designed by City Clerk Jason Bell.
The changes were approved by the city commission at an April 23 meeting that had Bell introducing not only the new logo but a detailed explanation for the website services change.
A two-page memo in the commission packet explained the pluses for the city changing their website hosting services along with a graphic for a new city logo.
Bell explained that from a service and capability perspective, the proposed new platform offered several advantages over the city’s current provider, Munibit.
The list included:
· a fully modern, mobile-friendly design
· a more user-friendly content management system (WordPress) that allows staff to easily update content
· enhanced security and backup protocols
Marine City Clerk Jason Bell designed a new more modern logo for the City of Marine City and it was approved by officials at a recent commission meeting.
· and more robust hosting infrastructure with high reliability and uptime standards.
In addition, Bell said the Shumaker Technology proposal included ongoing technical support, training, and optional content maintenance services, which would improve efficiency and reduce reliance on outside assistance for routine updates.
The clerk further stated that the city’s website functions as a 24/7 public service platform. If residents cannot access agendas, forms, notices, or services due to accessibility barriers, we are not fully meeting our obligation to provide equal access to government services.
“Overall, this transition represents an opportunity to modernize the city’s digital presence, improve transparency and service delivery, ensure compliance with evolving legal standards, and do so at a lower annual cost,” Bell wrote.
As part of this transition, he also made a request to present a modernized redesign of the city logo. The intent was to launch the new logo in coordination with the new website to create a cohesive and updated visual identity for the city.
Commission weighs-in on ideas
Commissioner Rita Roehrig asked Bell for a clarification on the current costs for website services and if it was already in the city budget.
Bell said the current rate is $1,600. The cost for the new vendor, Shumaker Technology Group would be $1,200 annually with an additional $1,000 one-time setup fee with the new contract.
“So, we’re going from $1,600 to $1,200 so it’s $400 less per month?” Roehrig confirmed. “So, it’s less expensive so I’m cool with that.”
Bell told Roehrig know, the funds are not in the budget.
City Manager Michael Reaves said the thought process is that they can shift funds and accommodate the funding this year instead of shifting it to next year. It goes along with the plan to update city ordinances and start utilizing Municode and making the website more user-friendly including making it ADA accessible.
“This accomplishes all those tasks for us and then Jason took it upon himself to also update the logo,” Reaves said. “We want to give you folks a chance to weigh-in on that too.”
Bell added that they with the logo redesign they would not be updating all the city’s stationery and signs, that would come later as needed.
“My only comment is, I hate to be the one – I like the old freighters, they are much nicer looking than the new style,” Hendrick said. “So, I kind of prefer our old one.”
“That one sunk,” Reaves joked.
“I just prefer the old ships, they’re just classier,” Hendrick said.
“I like the ship better and the background design looks the same,” Roehrig added.
Commissioner Sean O’Brien said the accessibility the new company will provide for ever changing ADA compliance requirements that are more stringent and carry heavier penalties is well timed.
“I’m quite grateful we are going to be moving to something with a company that will be doing a lot of the work and making sure it’s on,” O’Brien said.
As the commission turned to voting on the new website service contract and the logo Hendrick again interjected her objection and preference for the old-style freighters on the logo.
“I’m just asking if we can go back to the old-style freighters, they’re just classier here than the ocean ship there,” Hendrick said.
“I kind of like the new ship, new look and new direction, I like the new ship,” Commissioner Trish May said.
As the commission called for the vote Hendrick said she just wanted to go on the record qualifying hers by noting she preferred a different logo.
Attorney Robert Davis said she could just vote no but Hendrick said no I like the proposal.
The commission then unanimously approved the motion to contract with Shumaker Technology Group for website services and also approved the new logo.
The targeted launch date for the new website is June 30.
“The timeline will be tight; however, based on discussions with Kyle Shumaker (Shumaker Technology Group), it is achievable if approval is granted promptly and the project moves forward without delay,” Bell explained in his memo to the commission.
