LINCOLN -- All city of Lincoln ordinances and resolutions will be available to the public online through a digital code project underway by the city's technology and engineering director.
Director Al Videtto gave an update on the project at last week's Lincoln City Council meeting and aldermen authorized Videtto to finalize a contract with General Code of Rochester, N.Y., to provide the online service.
The company will input the city's municipal code into a searchable format, Videtto told Council members. The city also will have an app for the service and that app will be available to the public.
"This will streamline the process," Videtto said, noting the city does not have anyone with the time to go through ordinances and resolutions when looking for specific information or responding to requests for information from citizens and others.
The initial conversion cost for the city will be about $4,000. This will provide an online copy of city documents and three printed copies. The city will pay a a service fee of $1,195 per year, about $90 per month. In addition, the city will pay $18 per page to modify the code online.
Once the company starts the project, it will probably take about six weeks to complete, according to Videtto.
The online version will be updated as new ordinances and resolutions are approved by the City Council.
Videtto said he has tested the software and is satisfied with it. He's also talked to several cities that have a digital code through General Code and all indicated they "couldn't live without it."
Videtto said citizens could put in specific words and search for any ordinances, resolutions or other public documents that relate to the word. He pulled up an app from another city to show how the service would work. Typing in the word "dog," the app brought up multiple documents that contained the word.
"This will provide significant abilities," Videtto said at the Council meeting.
Mayor Rob Hulse thanked Videtto for his work on behalf of the project.
In other action Jan. 17, aldermen agreed to have two city properties appraised and then listed with a real estate company to sell. The city will try to sell property at 114 W. Park and 107 Boyer.
In addition, the city renewed its contract for legal services with Steven Parker Law Firm for the year 2017 for $150/hour. Parker has served as city attorney for about 11 years.
The city received about $19,000 in December from its city sales tax and of that $5,726 was distributed to the library and $1,431 distributed to parks and recreation.
General News on 01/25/2017