The county government is looking to overhaul its website.
Today, county staff are scheduled to ask commissioners to hold public hearings on the proposal, since the work is expected to cost more than $100,000. The work would include planning, design and development of a web portal, an online content management system, optional web hosting, web portal security and implementation of the web portal.
Sharon Stanley, the county’s Information Services Department director, said the goals of the new web portal are to provide better search capabilities, improved online transactions and have it serve as the interface for upcoming new and improved online services that the county will roll out in the next several years.
“One of the initiatives in the 2016 (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax project list) is to create a digital eGovernment presence that provides increased and enhanced key county services online, on any device on a 24-7 basis,” Stanley said.
The company that eventually receives the contract would be asked to work with the county to obtain citizen input to find out what changes the public would want to see on the portal, said Sheri Kell, the county’s communications director. Kell said the county’s last major website design was in 2007.
“We have looked at the public-facing portals of local municipalities that have garnered top awards for outstanding digital government and hope to emulate those efficiencies and transparencies for the citizens of Cobb County,” Kell said.
CODE AMENDMENTS BACK ON THE AGENDA
Commissioners will also consider three code amendments that they had tabled during their July 26 meeting, among them a proposed ordinance aimed at property owners who have illegal activities occurring on their property.
Under the proposed “public safety nuisance” ordinance, property owners and operators who have three or more incidents of crimes — such as prostitution or drug-related incidents — within a 12-month period on their property would be sent a written notice regarding the property being deemed such a nuisance by the county attorney, with the notice summarizing evidence gathered on the incidents and actions the county could take against the property.
The owner would then be given an opportunity to take corrective action regarding the “nuisance” before county officials take further action, such as prohibiting the owner from using his or her property.
Other activities targeted by the proposal include gambling and unlicensed or unpermitted sales of alcohol.
Commissioners will also consider suspending an ordinance that requires vendors who wish to operate in unincorporated areas of the county to obtain a license in order to sell or distribute retail or food items from a cart or kiosk.
A provision in that ordinance gives those in charge of “mixed-use development districts” the power to construct a plan that sets where vending activity can take place. Dana Johnson, Cobb’s community development director, said just one area in the county qualifies under that provision — SunTrust Park, the Braves’ future home stadium, and The Battery Atlanta, a mixed-use development being built next to it.
The ordinance defines a mixed-use development district as a development zoned regional retail commercial “with a public event venue with permanent seating in excess of 20,000 seats” that includes attendant parking facilities, “and may include a mixture of retail, restaurants, entertainment, office space and hotel units.” The Battery Atlanta is set to offer amenities in each of those categories, while SunTrust Park is set to have 41,500 seats.
Those who violate the vending ordinance could be found guilty of a misdemeanor, fined at least $100 but no more than $1,000 and face as much as a 60-day jail sentence on the first offense. Subsequent convictions ramp the minimum fines up to $200, $500 and then $1,000 for the fourth offense.
Commissioners could choose today to suspend the acceptance of applications for or the enforcement of the ordinance itself until the end of the year or until they consider and approve related code amendments.
OTHER BUSINESS
Commissioners are also expected to consider:
- An about $4 million contract with Lawrenceville-based Ohmshiv Construction for safety and traffic flow improvements to the western part of Lower Roswell Road. The 2.1-mile project consists of widening Lower Roswell Road from a few hundred feet east of South Marietta Parkway to Holt Road and includes the addition of left-turn lanes, right-turn lanes and signal modifications. Five-foot sidewalks will be added on both sides of Lower Roswell within the project’s limits, while the entirety of the road from South Marietta Parkway to Terrell Mill Road will be resurfaced.
Funding from the project would come from the 2005 SPLOST Transportation Improvements Program fund.
- A $1.57 million contract with Tyrone-based Massana Construction Inc. to provide and install overhead directional guide signs along Interstates 285 and 75 that will direct drivers to SunTrust Park and an about $503,000 contract with Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based Adaptive Micro Systems would be for changeable message sign equipment for the Cumberland area. The LED signs would be used to provide information to drivers.
Additionally, commissioners will consider two construction agreements with the Georgia Department of Transportation for the two sign-related projects. Under the terms of the agreement, the state would fund eligible construction costs up to the amounts of the two contracts, while the county would be responsible for any costs that exceeded the contracted amounts.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Jon Gargis
Quelle/Source: MDJOnline, 08.08.2016
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