By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Members of the Benicia Economic Development Board took the opportunity Wednesday to review and offer input on the city’s soon-to-be-launched economic development website, which will ultimately replace the existing site at www.beniciabusiness.com.

“The purpose of having such a website is to make a first impression to potential businesses that want to locate to Benicia, and to provide services to existing businesses,” Economic Development Manager Mario Giuliani said.

A new economic development website has been in the works since the adoption of the Business Development Action Plan in November 2011. The old site, it was generally agreed, was not visually appealing, with a lot of text links to other places, drop-down menus and cumbersome navigation.

“This is what we were working with for the past three years,” Giuliani said of the old website. “It became apparent to (consultant) Aubrey Taylor of Chabin Concepts that we really need to have a better visual to promote economic development in the city of Benicia.”

Texas-based EDsuite was selected to design the new site “primarily based on their experience in developing economic development websites,” Giuliani said, and has been contracted to complete the site since January 2012.

“It has taken us quite some time to get us where we are today,” Giuliani acknowledged.

Some of the features of the new site include a link to existing vacancies in commercial and industrial areas; business resources; an overview of Benicia’s community life; and a link to information on business licenses and permits.

Though there is not a dedicated mobile version of the site — because it would have increased the cost significantly — the site itself was designed with mobile devices in mind, Giuliani said.

One area of note is the “permitting and licensing” section, which Giuliani calls “an area of opportunity.” At the moment it only contains information on how to obtain business licenses and permits, but “the reason why I was excited about EDsuite is in the not too distant future … (one may) be able to automatically renew your business license, and sign up for business licenses (from the website).”

The consensus from EDB members was positive. City Manager Brad Kilger, who attended the meeting, said in response to suggestions on content and appearance, “This site will never be completed. That’s the concept. It’s dynamic. We’re always going to find ways to add to it, expand on it as more funds become available.”

Giuliani said he hopes the site would be ready to launch by the Sept. 17 City Council meeting. The EDB next meets Sept. 18.

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