Town site undergoes upgrades and facelift

Written by Andrew Kersey, Assistant Editor
Thursday, 05 November 2009 10:07

The town Web site is currently undergoing a “facelift” that will be unveiled by Thanksgiving.

“This Web site is full of information,” Town Webmaster Sal DeLucia told the Advertiser Monday. “We just wanted to get it reorganized so that the information isn’t scattered everywhere.” The makeover includes a more streamlined set of links arranged in part by their popularity among site visitors, as well as cosmetic changes like new colors and design.

“We basically made it portal,” said DeLucia, adding that the current site is “functional” but its system for linking to other areas of the site is cumbersome.

The purpose of the upgrades is to “reduce the number of clicks to get to the information,” he said.

The town paid QScend Technologies of Waterbury $4,000 for an overhaul based on its own submitted design templates. The cost included a staging area, which has allowed DeLucia to temporarily store the changes before they are made final “in the next couple of weeks.”

The site has already undergone a few upgrades over the last year, mainly involving access to property appraisal information and online registration for recreational programs.

Residents and business owners are also now able to use the site to check the status of building permits.

DeLucia said there will be a new “How-to” section on the homepage to facilitate these and other town-related processes, such as obtaining a marriage license.

“We wanted to put up the most important information and get it to residents fast,” he said. “The IT department has been adding more and more online services so [residents] don’t have to come into Town Hall as much.”

To access the town Web site, visit newcanaan.info.