Marblehead was forced to revert to its original website just two days after unveiling a redesigned version on Feb. 20, as numerous functionality issues emerged with the new platform.
Town Administrator Thatcher Kezer informed the Select Board that the recently launched website had been taken offline due to extensive problems requiring vendor intervention.
“We determined that there were too many fixes and updates that were required to be completed by the vendor to be fully functional and informative at this time,” Kezer wrote in his message to board members.
The $13,750 website overhaul, developed with vendor Revize LLC over a six-month period, reportedly suffered from broken links and incomplete information. While the Select Board had identified the need for a redesign as a priority in its 2023 and 2024 retreats, resident Jim Zisson was among those advocating for an upgraded online presence, initially proposing a citizen petition for funding before town officials secured resources independently.
IT staff are now working closely with the vendor, who was required to work through the weekend to address the issues. According to Kezer, the town plans to relaunch the redesigned website once officials “are confident and have confirmed that the website is fully functional, and all information updates have been completed.”
The town expects to provide more information about the revised timeline later this week.
