Stearns County launches new site

Stearns County launches new site
By Kirsti Marohn • kmarohn@stcloudtimes.com • February 17, 2010

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Twitter FarkIt Type Size A A A Stearns County is launching a redesigned Web site today that encourages residents to stay up to date and share information through social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.




The new site was designed to look more modern and make it easier for users to find the information they are seeking, said George McClure, the county's information services director.
It's also intended to encourage citizen participation, he said. The site features a "Community" page, where users can follow county news on Facebook and Twitter. They can share their own photos of county scenery or events using the photo-sharing site Flickr, or post YouTube videos.
At Tuesday's county board meeting, McClure noted that a growing number of people — particularly younger residents — are relying on such online tools.
"There's just millions and millions of folks that prefer to get their information in this style versus going to a Web site and reading a news release," he said.
The site can be viewed in English, Spanish or Somali. Users can view a calendar of upcoming events and take a poll on a county-related topic. They also can rate the value of the Web site's content, as well as post comments on blogs written by county staff.
"The Web site's a lot more interactive, and it's one more way you maybe stay in touch with local government," McClure said.
Stearns County's Web site has received national recognition and has seen increased use. About 34,000 different people visited the site in January, McClure said.
About 3,000 people pay their taxes annually online, and 99 percent of applications for county jobs are completed online. The county's list of jail inmates attracts more than 20,000 visitors each month.
Redesigning the Web site took nearly two years, including focus group meetings and searching for a vendor, McClure said.
Michigan-based Artemis Solutions Group redesigned the site for a cost of about $95,000. The firm will host the site for an annual cost of $3,300.