Town & School Websites

[JLB]

For anyone interested in seeing what other towns and schools are maintaining for websites, I offer the following web addresses.

http://www.vermont-towns.org/
http://townofgeorgia.com/
http://www.milton.govoffice2.com/

http://www.k12.vt.us/
http://www.bfafairfax.com
http://www.williston.k12.vt.us/
htp://www.highgate.k12.vt.us

http://www.missisquoi.k12.vt.us/fnwtitl4.html  
This site is a Franklin Northwest Supervisory  Union address that links ALL the covering schools.    
BFA, Fletcher, Georgia belong to Franklin West Supervisory Union.


Personally I feel it is time to have an official web site.   The fact the Fairfax News is no longer delivered to mailboxes is yet another reason for having a web site.    

Many folks can not attend the Monday night Selectboard meetings which often coincide with School Board meetings which are held the 2nd and 4th Monday evenings.

DRB meets 1st and 3rd Wed evening of each month
Planning Commission meets 3rd Tuesday of each month.[/b]

[Henry]

Jackie,

Please be aware that unless one is registered and logs in they cannot vote in the poll.  This prevents one voting more than once.

[Henry]

Hi All,

I checked out the Georgia Web Site and found the following:

Selectboard Minutes – January 10, 2005
Planning Commission – December 14, 2004
Zoning Board – November 15, 2004
Conservation Commission – September 20, 2004

The Selectboard Minutes - Updated January 10, 2005 appear to be the only minutes remotely active and those are well over a month old.  Fairfax on the other hand already has last Monday's selectboard minutes up.

Milton Web Site:

Conservation Commission – December 15, 2004
Development Review Board – Agendas up to date
Economic Development Commission – Up To Date
Planning Commission – Up To Date
Recreation Commission – Nothing
Selectboard Minutes – Nothing
Ordinances & Regulations - Nothing

I hunted, clicked and did everything I could to find some Selectboard Minutes on the Milton Web Site and found nothing even though there is a place for them.

Both of these web sites are very nice in appearance and very impressive at first glance, unfortunately they are not maintained, which I believe is what would happen here in Fairfax.

Brad Murray has done an outstanding job of providing us with important information and certainly has been very dedicated in updating the Selectboard minutes as soon as he receives them.

[JLB]

Unfortunately rumor has it Brad Murray's web site will be closing in May.

Web sites not being maintained is all too common.   If Fairfax townspeople want a web site, then a stipulation can be made that it is updated  on a regular basis, ie.  weekly, biweekly, etc.   Otherwise it should not be funded.  

I also wonder if a certain percentage of phone calls to the Town Office for inquires could be reduced.   For example, if one wants to find out what the cost is of a building permit and associated impact fees are, I assume one has to call the Town Office during business hours.    If fees were posted on the website, this could be one offset to cost.   Meaning the folks working in the Town Office would not have to answer as many phone calls.   They could have more time to work on other matters.   Also townspeople could get their answers anytime of the day.    For folks who work,  making personal phone calls during business hours is inconvenient and in some cases not feasible, ie field/outdoor type jobs.

Other information to post on the website would be tax rate and tax due dates, delinquent tax penalty fees, zoning and hearing fees, water and sewer rates, library hours, recreation department info.    Links to churches and other group web sites, ie Historical Society.

I do agree completely that  a complete assessement of cost needs to be done in order to make any decision.   Assuming folks even want to consider it.

[Larry]

I can take over the design, creation, and web hosting for the web site.  I can set up a easy to use content management system for easy to update content, as well as online forums, calendar, and anything else you would need.

 

Let me know.

Larry

[JLB]

After many years of service, Brad Murray's web site, www.fairfax-vt.org, will close May 1, 2005.      Many thanks to Brad !

   Henry Raymond has graciously offered to post minutes from the vairous town govement boards on this site.  Thank you, Henry !

  Please vote if you feel a need for an official town website.    Consider looking at the Town of Wilmington's website at      
http://www.wilmingtonvermont.us