Leetsdale launches new borough website

Leetsdale officials recently launched a new borough website designed to make its usage easier and to better communicate with residents.

The site went live in late May after many months of development.

Council awarded a four-year contract with CivicPlus to construct and operate the site in August. Cost is just under $4,000 annually.

The new website, leetsdaleboro.net, has larger button shortcuts and a more responsive design that adjusts for viewing on mobile devices.

It also has a new color scheme, borough logo, rotating images on the front page, a slideshow for community photos and a “How to Guide” video on the site’s front page demonstrating how to use the new features.

The new logo is only being used on the website and not official borough letterhead. It also has not replaced the borough seal in council chambers.

There are new links to local organizations such as the Sewickley Public Library, Sewickley YMCA and the Leetsdale Garden Club.

The site is still a work in progress with certain things such as council meeting minutes and other documents continuously being uploaded.

Council president Maria Napolitano said the former borough website was at least 10 years old, was very out of date and did not work well with mobile devices.

She said the company was selected out of five vendors and a lot of due diligence.

“Leetsdale’s website update was long overdue,” Napolitano said. “We conducted a community survey to understand the residents’ needs and preferences, and solicited quotes from a few vendors that specialize in designing and servicing municipal websites.

“We ultimately choose CivicPlus, a provider with a strong local presence that provided high quality product at a good price point. The cost of the new website subscription is in line with what other local municipalities pay for a modern product, and will include features that users expect today.”

Mayor Sandra Ford commented Napolitano and her team for the successful site launch.

“The new website is a long time coming,’ Ford said. “Maria stepped up and worked very hard, and … I think it’s a very good website. There are links that the residents can sign up for various things, including the Leetsdale Alert system. Hopefully, our residents all sign up for this alert system.”

Council in February approved the use of Rave Alert, a mass notification system through Rave Mobile Safety, to help alert residents of emergencies and borough events.

A link to sign up for the alerts is on the borough website under the “How Do I?” tab.