The Challenge

Bullhead City’s previous website ran on a legacy government CMS first adopted around 2015. After nearly a decade of minimal product evolution, the site felt dated and rigid to manage. Two issues consistently got in the way of serving residents:

• Static homepage, slow change cadence. The custom homepage looked good, but even small updates required vendor intervention. Sometimes costly change orders were required, which made it hard to spotlight fastmoving city priorities.
• Modules that didn’t match real workflows. A built-in parks reservation module required hourly booking slots, while the City reserves park amenities in full-day time slots. Without flexibility to make small but critical changes, staff resorted to third-party tools.

“We wanted a platform that stood out, pushed boundaries, and served the community better.” - Mackenzie Covert, Public Information Officer, City of Bullhead

Why Govstack

Bullhead City wasn’t looking for a vendor to simply add them to a client list. They wanted a long-term partner that aimed to become a flagship example of what’s achievable when both sides challenge and inspire each other to excel.

1. Flexibility without friction
   Editors wanted the ability to assemble content with responsive components that look great on phone, tablet, or desktop (without custom code).
2. Editorial guardrails + power when needed
   Most users required a platform that could build quickly and safely with intuitive controls and device previews. When advanced layout is needed, power users wanted the option to create custom CSS/JavaScript through a Design Node, extending what’s possible, without breaking consistency sitewide.
3. Smart imagery
   A key feature that really sold the City of Bullhead on the Govstack platform was the focal point tool that eliminates multi-crop gymnastics. Upload once, set the focal point, and the system renders images beautifully in banners, side-by-side layouts, and cards.

“Pick the focal point and the system does the rest, no Photoshop, no 20 export sizes.” - Mackenzie Covert, Public Information Officer, City of Bullhead

The Implementation

Bullhead City is growing fast, and expectations for digital services are growing with it. The Govstack team supported every decision with real world input:

• Top task analytics were used to identify high demand pages and actions that could be featured on the homepage, not just within the main menu.
• Treejack testing exercises were done to validate the navigation structure before launch. Where residents expected content in more than one place, the team added strategic crosslinks.
• Many contributors are communicators first, not web technicians. Training combined deep dive videos for context with a searchable “do this task” help center. Perfect for learning by doing.

Mobile use guided the experience from day one. Editors now preview pages live across device breakpoints, making responsive quality part of the workflow, not an afterthought.

“We’re mobile centric by design, but the experience holds up everywhere, from users’ phone, tablet, laptop.” — Edigar Kajirwa, Assistant City Manager, City of Bullhead

What Changed (and Why It Matters)

Although the launch was recent, the team is already noticing smoother workflows, faster publishing, and more consistent pages on all devices.

Faster publishing, no bottlenecks

Communications can now respond right away when a new initiative needs attention. There’s no need for change orders or waiting on vendors, which matches the City’s fast pace for programs and announcements.

Built-in quality for nontechnical authors

Editors can add headlines, text, and images that automatically look good on any device, thanks to built-in previews and image tools. The platform also prevents common font and layout mistakes that happened on the old site.

Structure designed around resident needs

Moving away from a department-focused model made everyday tasks simpler. Department pages are still available for those who need them, but the main site structure now uses language residents understand.

Governance that keeps progress going

A new Communications Committee now brings department representatives together regularly to keep content accurate, timely, and consistent. This has made the website a true reflection of city services.

“This is the foundation for broader digital transformation; streamlined operations and clearer communication with residents.” - Edigar Kajirwa, Assistant City Manager, City of Bullhead

The Results

Bullhead City proves that a clear vision paired with data, process, and the right platform can yield outsized results quickly. The team aligned on outcomes (resident clarity, mobile performance, editorial autonomy), validated choices with Treejack testing and analytics, and then executed at pace with focused training and practical governance.