EDWARDSVILLE - Supervisor Frank Miles today announced that Edwardsville Township has officially launched a new Township website, www.EdwardsvilleTownship.com. The project is one of many initiatives undertaken by Supervisor Frank Miles since he took office to better link township services to the community.
Development of the website focused on creating a more efficient design, providing easy access to programs offered by the Township, maintaining exceptional transparency to taxpayers and complying with Americans with Disability Act (ADA). Sections include a link to information about elected officials, meeting agendas and minutes, annual audits and budgets, community resource information and Township programs, and details about the Township Community Park. In addition, the template used for the website seamlessly transitions the site for use on mobile phones and tablet devices.
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“We initiated this project to increase transparency and accountability to the residents of Edwardsville Township by making a more user friendly website. We want the information we provide to be easily accessible whether you’re at home on your computer or trying to access the information on the go from your phone or mobile device. It is important for our online resources to reflect the community we serve as we continue to ensure Edwardsville-Glen Carbon community is a place where people want to live and raise a family,” said Supervisor Miles.
An ADA accessible website was one of the items required by the Township’s ADA Transition Plan, which was adopted by the Township in May 2015 to adopt standards to improve access and remove barriers for disabled persons in their use of public facilities and governmental services. The new website utilizes a theme that allows for various assistive devices to seamlessly access the information provided online; it provides accessibility through the use of a consistent layout, Alt Text for images, links are keyboard accessible, and the color contrast is appropriate to name a few.
The new website was also developed using a 10-point transparency checklist provided by the Illinois Policy Institute. Illinois Policy Institute is an independent research and education organization generating public policy solutions aimed at promoting personal freedom and prosperity in Illinois. The 10-point transparency checklist the organization provides follows the Freedom of Information Act requirements for government agencies. It outlines all requirements in regards to contact information, public meetings, public information, budgets, audits, expenditures, compensation, contracts, lobbying, and taxes. Currently the new website is 96 percent FOIA compliant and the Township will continue to strive for 100 percent compliance.
The newly created website was developed in-house with low-cost website development and hosting tools and is one of several special projects being completed by a graduate intern currently working with Edwardsville Township from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Public Administration and Policy Analysis program.
The new website offers much more for Township residents that was not offered with the old site. Information regarding the history of the Township, including a historical photo gallery, are among the newest additions. The Community Services section of the website is specifically tailored to the area with all Township programs represented as well as additional resources involving severe weather, additional community resources, and a detailed resource directory. “We wanted the website to be a one-stop shop for any information a Township resident would possibly need. This new site will make that a reality,” said Dawn Strickland, SIUE Graduate Intern.
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