Economic Development Director Roland Pena presented strategic plan updates during COSADC's June 24th board meeting. Pena danced when asked about the planned new website. He stated the plan had been for COSADC to spend $20,000 to update/upgrade their website, a number he believed he shared with the board in August 2014. Pena mentioned it in March 2015, citing a $15,000 number.
Content needed updating but the site was a rich treasure trove of historical information. Development Corporation agendas and background packets dated back to January 2009. That information is now gone from ready public access. The move echoes the public's loss of reams of historical information when the city updated its website.
Pena explained how he kept COSADC's web address and pointed it to the City's new website (shown above). He did not say there's a mere two pages devoted to economic development. He neglected to add nearly eight years of historical information has been replaced with six months.
In March Pena said he'd get to the COSADC board with options on their updated website. Three months later he shared his decision, made with no discernible direction or input from the board This isn't the first time city staff made a strategic decisions before informing the accountable public body.
The furniture fiasco had $106,000 in Water Department furniture ordered and installed without City Council's prior approval. Staff applied for the Section 1115 grant application, intended to restore the just eliminated sexually transmitted disease clinic, before asking for Council's approval.
The new COSADC webpages within the City's site are up and running. I'm looking forward to the addition of an annual report newer than 2012. It may come after the Development Corporation gives its annual update to City Council in May of each year. Neither have happened under Roland Pena's reign as Economic Development Director.
Update 9-29-15: The new cross branded website might be available in two months according to the Chamber of Commerce's Michael Looney.
No comments:
Post a Comment