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News Feeds, Audio Enhance Port Richey's Web Presence

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By KLINT LOWRY

Suncoast News

Published: September 18, 2008

PORT RICHEY - On the city's Web site, residents can get updates on hurricanes, dredging projects and the city budget or listen to recordings of city council meetings soon after they end.

Ordinances under review are available for review, and residents can offer their two cents.

The site, www.copr.net, is a far cry from what it used to be, city officials say.

"It's a pretty functional site now," said Kevin Hamm, the city's technical support specialist responsible for the redesign.

"It was terrible for a long time. It was just there to make a presence - 'We have a Web site.'"

Many of the changes have come in the past six months and reflect changing attitudes at City Hall, where people have been embracing the site as a way of connecting with residents. A reflection of those changes is Hamm's new title, manager of information systems, which will kick in with the start of the new fiscal year in October.

Hamm has been responsible for the Web site for eight years. In fact, he originally owned the domain name, www.copr.net, and approached the city about using it for its city Web site.

The first big wave of improvements began a few years ago, when then-police Chief Bill Sager wanted more features on his department's portion of the Web site. Today, the police department's page includes constant feeds from the Amber Alert system and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, a regularly updated list of sex offenders living in the city and links to programs, services and agencies.

"I think that was the biggest step for the Web site was when the P.D. brought theirs up to date," Hamm said.

Other departments followed the police department's lead, albeit slowly.

Another factor has been the current administration's comfort level with technology. When City Manager Richard Reade started last year, he asked Hamm to improve the Web site's transparency and ability to solicit community input. The city gave the site's interactive features a jumpstart this summer with an online vote to pick the design for new city signs.
City officials are impressed with the new design.

"It's got to be a tool to get information out, and it's got to be a tool for us to take information in," Mayor Richard Rober said. "Basically, overall, our media has improved, and it needed to improve. I think that will be a continually evolving platform for us."

Recent changes include the audio recordings of council meetings, made available the same night. Hamm also has made it possible for city workers to post certain items without having to go through him.

Hamm's wish list includes a computer kiosk at City Hall for people without Internet access. Another goal is to provide direct access to records, so people can look up ordinances and other documents without having to go to City Hall.

Soon, residents will be able to pay their water and sewer bills online.

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