The City of Rosemount has been discussing the need for a better website to improve citizen access to city services for some time, and the City Council approved to authorize a contract with web hosting service CivicPlus Tuesday.

Communications Coordinator Alan Cox spent much of 2011 researching different options the City of Rosemount has for embracing those technology initiatives and presented the best option, a contract with CivicPlus, to the City Council Tuesday evening.

"For much of the past year I've been researching ways to improve the city's website," Cox said.

CivicPlus will provide the interface to create content, and:

• Continually allow for new modules
• Apps for smartphones and iPhones
• Alerts (in case the city needs to get an urgent message out to residents)
• Ability to customize the homepage
• Live video webstreaming
• Online permitting
• Collecting online payments

Councilman Mark Debettignies said, "Some of the exciting things for me is that citizens can communicate [through the website] with city staff."

He also liked the site's easy flow, and the city's ability to collect some payments online.