In partnership with the NC Department of Information Technology, on Monday, April 21, Guilford County government unveiled a brand new website that’s meant to be attractive and more user friendly, and also meant to provide an overall improved resident experience with a focus on accessibility.
The new site currently displays a green banner announcing its arrival. It states, “Welcome to the new GuilfordCountyNC.Gov! Created with residents first in mind, the new Guilford County website features easier navigation, greater accessibility options, and refreshed language to help you meet your needs.”
The site is also convenient for many non-English speakers in the county since it has a prominently placed button that can convert any of the information provided into 16 different languages.
County officials say they used feedback from county staff, community partners and Guilford County residents to come up with the new design and tools. The website also features a “refreshed look” with a focus on “digital accessibility and quality content.”
It also provides more online access to county services.
Guilford County Manager Mike Halford said this week that he thinks this should make things easier on county residents who want to access information and services via the internet.
“Our county core values of transparency and communication, and service and outcome excellence speak to our dedication to delivering county services in open, innovative, effective, and compassionate ways,” Halford stated in a press release announcing the spruced-up site.
“Recognizing that our website is a crucial communications and service delivery tool,” he continued, “we partnered with the NC Department of Information Technology (NCDIT) to develop a website that meets people where they are while helping to build trust between residents and government.”
Guilford County’s new website is the first local government site to be hosted and maintained by NCDIT.
This pilot opportunity will be used to evaluate the potential of adding other local government sites in the future.
The website content will still be handled by county employees; however, maintenance of the site – including the development of new features and ensuring that the website complies with digital accessibility standards – will be the responsibility of NCDIT’s Digital Solutions team.
Along with Guilford County’s site, the state’s information technology department’s award-winning Digital Commons platform hosts more than 80 websites for state agencies, boards and commissions.
In the Monday press release, state information officials also weighed in on Guilford County’s new website.
“The addition of GuilfordCountyNC.gov to the Digital Commons platform represents an important milestone in our efforts to promote a secure, accessible and seamless digital experience across our state,” said NCDIT Secretary and State Chief Information Officer Teena Piccione. “Our goal is to help North Carolinians in all our communities quickly and easily access government services and the information and resources they need.”
Along with the more modern look and feel, Guilford County’s new website is meant to be “mobile-first,” have faster loading times, and it will adhere to accessibility compliance standards required for government websites.
Content across the website will be updated frequently so that residents are presented with accurate, timely and meaningful information.
If you’d like to check out the website your tax money just bought you, you can visit www.GuilfordCountyNC.Gov.
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oh man, I am so thrilled!
Is this even effing news?
Does this mean that we are more likely to deal with a machine instead of a real person? FYI, the post office on W. Market St. now has only two people to man (woman) it for a day.
Conservatives have been underfunding US Postal services for decades.
Explain how conservatives have underfunded the US Postal services. Give detailed examples. And why would there be an advantage for conservatives to underfund the postal service?
TERMLIMITS,
Be careful my friend, you’re falling into someone’s trap.
let’s take care of all our ‘politics’ on websites like this: the issues, discussions, votes & DUN . true ‘grassroots’
The comments on the RT are made by grass roots readers mostly speaking to or about people in positions of power. The one of only a few sources available to readers who can vent without fear of censorship except when one of those in position of power threatens to sue over a comment unless taken down. Not that the comment was untrue, but that the “power person” did not like the exposure. The people in position of power recoil at exposure. People in positions of power are not always politicians. Do the comments make a difference? Maybe, I guess they can. The disgruntled have few options to vent. The ones who are the object of attention of the RT readers also read the RT to determine the mood of the masses, you know the deplorables.
politicians are being eclipsed by ‘influencers’ ‘owned’ by media ? this ‘media’ is fun but small & unfluencial. consider a ‘pay to play’ model ?
Now we know where else these confiscatory taxes the Board of Commissars have levied against us is going.