New Clark County website in the works

Clark County, welcome to the 21st Century.

Clark County unveiled the in-progress version of its new website, featuring a sleeker interface and improved navigation.

“Our Web platform is over 15 years old and it can no longer meet our needs,” county information technology manager Eileen Frimberger said at a presentation to the county council Wednesday.

The website, developed by Clark County’s own IT staff, is set to go live near the end of the year. Hosting and security will cost the county about $17,000 annually.

Frimberger said the Web development team kept users in mind while designing the site. The most clicked-on links — such as parks, property taxes and permitting — will be available on the homepage, while a drop-down menu labeled “How do I …” directs visitors to additional resources.

“We’re working to increase the focus on what Web customers are actually looking for and expecting to accomplish on our website,” Frimberger said.

Stewart impressed

Also upgraded were the website’s responsive capabilities, meaning a page will adjust to whatever screen you’re viewing it on. The website’s three columns on a computer, for example, will be reduced to one on a smartphone.

County councilors asked a few questions that, as Councilor Jeanne Stewart put it, “showed (she’s) a total layperson.” Stewart in particular was interested in how cloud storage works. She thanked the IT department for its work on the new site.

“What you’re doing here is amazing in that it will help citizens connect in the way they are so often connecting, which is through a Web page,” Stewart said.