SPANISH FORT, Ala.—Michal “Webby” Douglas has been in the business long enough to know no one company has the market cornered on website design and management, but expertise and more than 20 years’ experience in a constantly evolving global marketplace should count for something.

“Two kids and a soccer mom in a garage can make you a nice-looking website, but that doesn’t mean they should,” Douglas told members of the City Council during Monday’s informal work session.

Douglas, CEO of WebOperations.net, said his preliminary review of the city’s existing site revealed a need for more direct community contact and serious navigation tweaks to ensure visitors require no more than three clicks to find the information they seek.

“People have the attention span of a ferret on fire,” Douglas said, noting that increasing efficiency does not mean sacrificing function or creativity when designing municipal sites.

WebOperations.net is the third, and final, contender for a shot at overhauling and managing the city’s website, and Douglas is the only candidate to date with documented municipal experience, having handled site design for cities from Magnolia Springs to Pensacola.

Founded in 1991, WebOpereations.net actually combines the resources of dozens of programmers, developers and graphic artists from companies such as Internet Business Solutions, WebStar, Actel Integrated Communications, Azed Technologies, Harbor Communications, Z-Technology and Evolution Technology Group with Douglas at the helm. In addition to municipal and government work, Douglas counts the New Orleans Saints, American Airlines and the Journal of Commerce among the company’s satisfied clients.

With 17 full-time and a host of contract employees, Douglas said the company operates offices out of Mobile, New Orleans, Pensacola, Tallahassee and Jacksonville, Fla., and Jackson, Miss., to ensure on-demand client support.

“I wanted to be anywhere within four hours,” Douglas said.

District 4 Councilman Tom Sawyer said Douglas lives in his district, and he is impressed with the breadth of the company’s expertise.

“This is, to me, a well-rounded approach,” Sawyer said, noting Douglas’ initial pitch addresses the technical, hosting and marketing aspects of the website’s redesign.

To date, Daphne-based Blue Fish Design Studio and Kathy Estadt, president of Fresh Focus Group, have presented informal proposals to the council for further consideration.

District 5 Councilwoman Mary Brabner is spearheading the search for web services, and Mayor Joe Bonner has said the effort needs to be taking place shortly after the first of the year.

The 2010-11 budget, approved in early October, includes $10,000 for the city’s website overhaul and maintenance, representing a substantial increase from the $2,000 budgeted in fiscal year 2010.