The municipality is hoping enhancements to online services will encourage better connections to local government.
Last week the County issued a news release announcing a new governance portal and upgrades to the existing live streaming service for meetings.
The new web portal is being presented as a one-stop-shop for residents seeking information about council and committees.
Mayor Robert Quaiff says in the release the municipality is striving to make information as accessible as possible.
“We are committed to openness and transparency in everything we do,” he says. “To deliver on that commitment, council and staff recognize the importance of removing barriers to municipal information, which these changes will go a long way toward achieving.”
The new CivicWeb portal — described as an advanced webpage — is linked to the existing County website (www.thecounty.ca). The portal will provide improved and simplified design and navigation in an effort to ensure residents can access information about upcoming meetings, search for agendas, and view reports as quickly and easily as possible.
The page can be accessed either under the News and Notices tab then Agendas, Minutes, & By-Laws, or through the streaming tab on thecounty.ca.
The page allows residents to sign up to receive direct email notifications when a meeting agenda is published by selecting the E-Updates tab. Residents can also submit questions or concerns through a new Civic Engagement tab.
In addition to those improvements, municipal meetings in Shire Hall will have enhanced video streaming. Meetings of council, committee of the whole, and other committees will now stream through YouTube and feature improved sound and image quality. The live stream will now include closed captioning for those with hearing impairments or who can’t watch with the volume on. The closed captioning feature can be accessed through the menu bar at the bottom of the video.
“I am pleased to move forward and implement these enhancements,” says County clerk Kim White. “We are continuously working towards providing more user-friendly technology for the public.”
The municipality is encouraging residents to visit the new portal at https://princeedwardcounty.civicweb.net/portal/.
–Staff