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+ a -------- i -- -------------------------------- ona ret mt dep RA "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice" PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, February 13, 2001 - 3 ee ------------------------ A ---------------- ov tom ---------------------- -- Current site's obsolete, says de Wit Township needs a new website, says CAO By Chris Hall Port Perry Star It is time for Scugog Township to develop a cut- ting-edge website that will not only promote the municipality, but serve its residents. That was the message township ° Chief Administrative Officer Yvonne de Wit delivered Thursday morning (Feb. 8) during a meeting of the township's economic development committee. Mrs. de Wit told com- mittee members that now is the time for Scugog to begin thinking about the future, considering how it intends to attract business- es and tourism, and pro- vide services to residents. The idea of a new town- ship website has been tossed around for a couple of months now. They've already registered www.township.scugog.on.c a as the domain name. An Internet address for the township was first cre- ated in 1997, when Scugog applied to the Community Access Program for funding to create and maintain a website. That initiative included the Scugog Memorial Public Library, the Scugog Chamber of Commerce, local business- es and others. It can still be found at www.scugog-net.com. But over the past four years that site has become obsolete, compared to what is now available in today's technological world. "It has become very out- dated in both content and appearance," said Mrs. de Wit. "It hasn't been kept up to date and the technology PorT PERRY OPTICAL de Wit has changed. It is very sim- plistic and difficult to find." Most municipalities have their own websites, as "they're the hub of the community. People look to them for information", Mrs. de Wit said. "A website is looked at now by most people as the single most important communication strategy. The first route people take now to find something is the Internet." The new site would pro- vide links to all township departments, and allow the public to e-mail ques- tions or suggestions to staff. Department employ- ees would write frequent updates, which would be posted on the site to keep the public informed. Maintaining good rela- tions .with the community, and keeping them informed, would be biggest benefits of the site, said Mrs. de Wit. "There's a lot of activity going on in this community, and this would be a great place to post all of these things," she said. Other items which could be posted on the township site include council min- utes and agendas, a com- munity calendar, and direc- Look at you Now! eyewear HAPPY 40TH BROCK! with love from your Staff, Family & Friends tions on how to get permits for burning, building and other activities. ~ But Mrs. de Wit's pre- sentation raised eyebrows when she informed mem- bers that the site could cost anywhere between $5,000 and $80,000. "We don't want to do this to 1998 standards; we have to look toward the future and make sure this is something that will be use- ful for years to come," she told committee members. "Some very good sites cost around $30,000. They're fairly elaborate and good sites, but they would be without e-gover- nance." Annual maintenance on the site is expected to run about $4,000 a year, she added. Mrs. de Wit hopes to have the site launched by August. Tenders should be sent out by Feb. 16, with a deadline of Feb. 23. Staff would then evalu- ate the pre-qualified bid- der applications on March 5, examining each appli- cants' site-design resumes. A request for proposals (RFP) is to be issued March 8. The site would have to be created in May and June and up and running by the end of july. At the conclusion of the proposal, committee members seemed to be in favour of the new site, but asked whether the Scugog Chamber of Commerce and the Port Perry Business Improvement Area sites could be some- how combined or linked to the township's site to help cut maintenance costs. peas SH. OURWINTER SALE CONTINUES... ure OO 0 off Fall/Winter Fashions and Footwear for Men, Women and Kids' S1RCAE (EN BIRR]