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Century Decides To Accept Bids For Website, Marketing Services
October 22, 2015
The Town of Century has decided that a maintenance contract for a new website and implementation of other marking plan proposals will be put out for bid after clarifying that the town will be responsible for footing the bill.
Century’s current website was developed by an area marketing firm in 2012 for $5,950, part of a $11,450 package that also included a five year comprehensive marketing strategy.
In 2013, the town was awarded a technical assistance grant from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to develop an economic development strategic plan. After hearing proposals from four contenders, the town contracted with the Haas Center (the research and consulting arm of the University of West Florida) to develop the plan at no cost to the town.
The Haas Center’s detailed plan and recommendations included a new website for the town, with suggestions from the Haas Center in late 2014 that the website be created by a volunteer or perhaps UWF marketing interns.
On October 5, Dr. Felicia Morgan from the UWF Marketing Department and Johnathan “Jet” Tisdale of the Pace company White Paper Marketing presented a marketing plan with a one year contract at $1,650 per month cost for website maintenance, an email subscription drive, website and a database management and other marketing resources. Any additional costs, such as advertising purchases, would add to the bottom line.
After questions arose about whether the cost would be the sole responsibility of the town, or if any grants or other funding sources existed, the council tabled any action on accepting the proposal. A question was also raised if the the town should accept bids on the marketing plan.
This week, town officials reported that the UWF Marketing Department had already contracted directly with White Paper Marketing for $8,000 for website and logo design and those items had been accomplished.
Now the town will pay their consultant, Debbie Nickles, to create a request for proposals in order to receive bids to implement the marketing plan, including website maintenance, newsletter production, a recreational guide and formation of a young professional’s group. The town will pay for the services using economic development funds.
A timetable to accept bids has not yet been set.
Pictured top: Dr. Felicia Morgan from the UWF Marketing Department and Johnathan “Jet” Tisdale of the Pace company White Paper Marketing address the Century Town Council on October 5. NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
10 Responses to “Century Decides To Accept Bids For Website, Marketing Services”
Like many government grants, the amount awarded is just a “teaser” to get the recipient on the hook to spend way more than the initial “free” grant in order to maintain what the grant was used for.
Makes you wonder how many of these grants were actually perpetrated by business owners via government officials.
The $8000 that Felicia Morgan contracted to Jeff Tisdale came from what fund and was it approved? I thought they were told to table it. Was it authorized or are they acting on their own? Also a previous comment said Century is in debt is that true?
>>>If l am reading the article correctly, It looks like they already have the funds from the technical grant and are spending it in a way to continue to enhance the town and move it forward.
The grant money has already been spent. Any additional funds will come from the town, not grants, at this point.
If l am reading the article correctly, It looks like they already have the funds from the technical grant and are spending it in a way to continue to enhance the town and move it forward. Thank for your had work and careful decisions.
This has to be a joke. Why would Century need to have a marketing plan and a website? Century doesn’t need a government either. Just shut the town down and let the county take it over. It’s ridiculous for the people who live there and the businesses to have to pay salaries for the people who claim to be running a town.
Why is Century worried about a Website when the town is fallen apart. I think Century need Doctors, Jobs and a police station so people can feel safe again. I think it is time to elect somebody that know how to run a city.
The term “recreational” can be used to describe all kinds of things.
town of century is spending money on a website this is not a good use of the funds available. The community of century is struggling to pay bills and make ends meet and the government is spending money on items that will not help the person in century. I would like to see the community of century come together and begin to use its resources to clean up the infrastructure. no one is going to stop in century on their way into or out of town with the infrastructure the way it is. Century should use every dollar in areas that will beautify an aging town and at the same time add additional opportunities for employment. If you want to get the most bang for the dollar focus on century owned areas that need cleaning and hire local people to do it. Also focus on safety and crime control in the area or it will never grow. Christmas is right around the corner and people are struggling it would be nice to see the government do a little struggling to and live within it means and prioritize every dollar as if it was not their money but ours. no manager would build a website with a map to guide you to an unsafe dilapidated building before fixing the building first…..simple thoughts
Let’s see; “recreational guide”. what can possibly go in that? Possibly a map to the splash pad? Or a tour of dilapidated buildings, and junk filled yards? Maybe list good vantage points to see a shooting or stabbing live. They can’t list seeing any live chickens or goats because they outlawed those. “young professional’s group”. The membership of this group could include; The Doctor, but no, wait, he is getting run out of town. Let’s sign up all the crack dealers, meth labs, prostitutes, and junk dealers, they seem to be the only “professionals” making a living in Century. Century could save the taxpayers some real money by selling the water, sewer, and gas systems to pay off the debt they have been accumulating, and shut down this little city government. After all, the County is providing police, fire, inspections, animal control, etc., while the Town of Century keeps churning money.
Good ole gov, wasting that taxpayer cash!
$1650 a month!?! Who’s buttering who’s biscuit here!?! LOL!