FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Joseph M. DiBella, Mayor

1-732-938-4500

April 16, 2006

  Upgrades to the Township Web Site

I am pleased to announce additional progress with the Township web site. This past week we launched a re-design of the site, offering a new look and a more organized orientation of the features available on-line. The services available are now more easily identified and residents should be able to better utilize the features available. The launch of the re-design is phase II of a total make over of the technological and communications infrastructure for Howell Township. Phase I was implemented with the development of a web site that made services available on line, so that residents would not have to travel to Town Hall for basic needs. This latest Phase brings us one step closer to a personal goal of mine – to create an on-line town hall and a government that is convenient to the working people of our community who do not have the time to visit the municipal building.

In fact, we have a township wide technology plan designed to improve the services we make available to residents – our customers. As is the case in private business, the integration of technology will make us more efficient, more responsive to customers and over time, help us reduce cost. For example, we have invested in new technology that will allow us to completely digitize all documents related to our Engineering office. Today, we have entire floors and trailers filled with filing cabinets and paper. The maintenance costs are excessive and our work processes are labor intensive and prone to losing materials and not being able to be as responsive as we would like. With the new technology, all materials will be optically scanned and what now takes a room to house will be contained on a single or a few CDs. Plus the data will be housed on our local area network so that any department can call up the material and make the process more satisfactory for our residents. These techniques are commonplace in the private sector and have been slow to be used in government. I am pleased to report that we will be cutting edge in this area and ahead.

In the coming months we’ll be making more upgrades to the township web site. Soon, video streaming will be available so that someone with satellite TV can access our Township meetings via the web with a simple point and click. Plus, we’re installing a new customer tracking system so that inquiries from residents can be more effectively routed to the right person for handling.

Finally, with the availability of Township Council meetings on TV, in addition to other new and informative programming, we are doing all we can to create an atmosphere of openness and accountability in Howell. The web upgrades, technology roll out and Cable TV programming are just a few ways we are working to make the government more accessible and convenient for the residents and businesses of Howell Township. While there is more to be done, the results of the past 3 years are noteworthy. I’d like to personally thank our valued township employees for the unending efforts in helping achieve these measures, especially those in our MIS department.

If you have not visited the township web site, please do. I think you’ll like what you see and there is even more on the way.  The URL is www/twp.howell.nj.us

If I can be of assistance to you on this or any issue, please email me anytime at MayorDiBella@twp.howell.nj.us

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