County web site is set for review

Jay County Commissioners took an offer this morning from a local information technology specialist to look into sprucing up the county's Web site.

Mark Clemens, Portland, approached the commissioners to address issues with the county's Web page, which has outdated information and dead links, and offered to look into a redesign and to potentially teach county department heads and elected officials to maintain and update the site.

Clemens, who works with information technology group G6 Communications, said he'd like to help improve the county's page outside of his professional career as "Mark Clemens from Jay County."

He is also involved with the county's 20/20 visioning process as part of the economic development workgroup and said the county's image on the Web is one area that was discussed during those planning meetings.

For someone out of the area looking to locate in Jay County, from business to family, the county's Web page is one of the first things those people may come across when researching the area, Clemens said.

If the Web site is outdated or broken or poorly maintained, that reflects on the community.

The plan he presented involves sitting down with parties that have a stake in the Web site and deciding what the county should offer on its page and how it should be displayed. Since Jay County is the only Jay County in the United States, the page is the first to appear in queries on search engines like Google.

Clemens didn't have a price quote for the commissioners and said the range could go from basic updates and maintenance to a total overhaul of the site, depending on what the involved departments decide.

"If it's something you guys want to do, it's something I can do," he said.

Part of the plan could involve changing the county's host to a provider like GoDaddy, which would reduce monthly hosting costs, and to teach departments or contract with local tech-savvy people to upkeep the page.

"It sounds like a no-brainer," said attorney Bill Hinkle.

"I'd say let him get him get started," agreed commissioner Jim Zimmerman.

The commissioners told Clemens to go ahead and meet with parties with a stake in the county's Web site and come up with a plan.

Clemens said he'll begin meeting with those people and can return later with some options and prices dependent on those meetings.

In other business this morning, the commissioners:

•Heard a complaint from Tom Robbins about the commissioners' potential plans to file lawsuits against property owners who owe back taxes. Robbins said that due to economic restraints, it was "wrong" for the commissioners to try to collect from people who may not have the money.

•Approved changes to the county zoning ordinance based on a recommendation from the Jay County Planning Commission. The biggest change to the ordinance allows commercial wind turbines to be erected on land zoned for agriculture, whereas before they could only be built on industrial ground.

•Made Jay County prosecutor Bob Clamme purchasing agent to buy a new TV for courtroom use and computers to cut down on paper consumption since files could be accessed through a network from the courtroom. The money, up to $6,000, will come from the deferral fund, a non-tax fund.

•Made Jay County Sheriff Ray Newton purchasing agent to buy three in-car radios at cost of $6,547.83.[[In-content Ad]]