Sandpoint unveils new city website
SANDPOINT — Featuring a wealth of breathtaking visuals and plenty of user-friendly features, the city's new official website went online today at midnight. SandpointIdaho.gov consolidates all pertinent information in one visually compelling location.
City Planning and Economic Development Director Aaron Qualls and his crew sourced photos from city staff members, Schweitzer Mountain and local photographers to showcase the city in a vibrant light.
"There's a lot of upgrades." he told the Sandpoint Urban Renewal committee on Tuesday. "First and foremost, a lot of pretty pictures that rotate."
Qualls, a former web developer, had help from coworkers and City Council member Deb Ruehle in developing Sandpoint’s new online presence. He said the upgraded site is faster and more cost-effective. Consolidating everything at one URL will save the city a couple hundred dollars per year, Qualls said.
Several new features make SandpointIdaho.gov far more user-friendly than the city's old site. Cross-referencing makes it easier to navigate. A "How Do I" link in the navigation bar opens a detailed menu of possible interactions, including applying for a job, attending a commission meeting and paying a parking ticket.
Those planning an Idaho vacation will find local links, videos and slideshows beneath the "Visiting Sandpoint" tab. The "Living in Sandpoint" page offers information for residents on topics ranging from boating to snow removal while the "Get Involved" tab provides a gateway to community service opportunities. Another useful new feature is "Notify Me," a page where visitors sign up to receive e-notifications on their choice of city-related subjects.
"My favorite part from a staffing perspective is that it's so much easier to update." said Qualls. The former city website was difficult and time-consuming to revise, he said.
The new website has the capacity to store all minutes from city meetings. It also features an upgraded interactive calendar that opens detailed information about each listed event.
Assistant planner Ryan Shea was responsible for content. About 50 pages of text come from the former website while the rest, such as the business section, is new.
Qualls was quick to point out that SandpointIdaho.gov is a work in progress. "We're excited to see what everyone thinks of the site. We hope folks won't be shy in letting us know how to improve it," he said.
He invites the public to submit comments via the Feedback link on each page. Qualls also asks local photographers to submit photos for possible inclusion, with credit, on the new city site.