The Niles Township website will soon be getting a major overhaul, after trustees voted unanimously to sign a contract with Revize a Troy, Michigan-based company Revize for the upgrades Monday.

The website will be renovated for the cost $13,684 plus an annual fee of $2,300, which does not apply until the second year of operation.

It has been almost eight years since the website was last upgraded. Trustees Terry Eull and Jim Ringler made the decision to spearhead the project.

“The current website that we have and many are aware of it, [has] inadequacies,” Ringler said. “We would like to get it revamped or re-done all together.”

The trustees evaluated two companies’ proposals, Civic Plus and Revize,  which develop strictly government websites. Civic Plus’ bid was $24,000, plus an annual fee of $4,700.

The renovations are expected to start in about two weeks, and are expected take between seven and eight months to complete.

The trustees said it was time for a website upgrade that allows for easier navigation and is a better representation of what the township has to offer.

Trustee Herschel Hoese mentioned that when young people look for a prospective place to move, they might first browse that municipality’s website. With the upgrades, those looking at living in Niles Township could find a fresher look at the area.

The new features are supposed to be more conducive to mobile phone use and allow for those looking to pay bills or access documents be able to do so easily.

While Revize was almost half the cost of the other bid, trustee Ringler said another big draw of the company was the number of civic engagement applications the company can feature.

In less than a year, those who visit should be able to access a number of communication apps, including online forms, notification center with email alerts, a photo gallery and a news center with Facebook/Twitter integration. For the staff, there will be several productivity apps and site administration and security features.

The new website will seek to not just look better and be easier to navigate, but will also allow for the township to reach more residents, while making communication easier.

“Right now, if we want to reach someone we have to write a letter,” Ringler said. “[With the new website] citizens should have multiple ways to interact with the township. It is important that they be able to get ahold of us.”

Ringler hopes to see this applied when residents notice a problem such as a pothole or broken streetlight. Instead of waiting for office hours to call, they will be able to immediately report the issue.

“It is not only important to be able to look at, but a function of what you can do with,” Ringler said. “Can I pay my sewer bill on my phone? Can I access everything that I want and can I do it from my phone or computer website? Those are all important things that we have to have today.”