You’ll still access the city’s Web site by visiting
www.morgan-hill.ca.gov, but its look and navigation will hopefully
be more sophisticated and user friendly.
Morgan Hill – You’ll still access the city’s Web site by visiting www.morgan-hill.ca.gov, but its look and navigation will hopefully be more sophisticated and user friendly.
The city has created a 10-question online survey to ask residents for feedback on what type of features they would like for a new and improved Web site they hope to have completed by July 2008.
“Our 6-year-old Web site has become really static and doesn’t offer as many services as we would like,” said Brian Stott, assistant to the city manager. “As the Web site becomes more dated, a lot of content becomes dated. We’re looking to change the look and feel of the Web site and make it more navigable.”
The site currently includes a list of municipal services and contact information for government officials and department directors and employees.
City officials have ideas on how the site can be streamlined to better assist residents who use it to obtain information on local government and how they can get involved in city issues, said Stott, adding that the survey feedback will give them more ideas to make the site better.
Stott said officials are waiting for bids from third-party vendors who would redesign the site.
The city has also organized a committee of people to study the issue. The group met Thursday to discuss the project.
The survey asks visitors questions such as, “How easy is it to find information on the site?” and “What informational resources would you like added to the new city Web site?”
Stott could not comment on what specific changes to the site have already been decided but predicted it would include:
- Recreational offers, such as “discounts to the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center.”
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Online applications for local government jobs.
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An online community calendar.
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A blog that could send residents alerts on hot topics happening in the city.
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An online application for building permits.
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An online complaint form that could be routed to department heads.
“Say you have an issue with a broken pothole or a barking dog, you could go online and submit a form that would be sent to an appropriate department,” Stott said. “With the barking dog, the complaint would be submitted to and followed up by, say, the police chief and an animal control officer and you could get updates on how it is resolved.”
Morgan Hill resident Jack Anderson, who supports the idea of a community calendar because he usually finds out about local events after the fact, said: “I would like them to give us updates on city events.”
He added: “I’d also like online bill pay for utilities like water because I usually send the water bill in on the day it is due,” Anderson said with a laugh.
