Kathryn Dumont, assistant to the York County manager, displays the home page of the county’s new website, launched a couple of weeks ago in a bid to make information about Maine’s first county more accessible. Tammy Wells photo
ALFRED — What does the look and content of a website say about a government, nonprofit agency, or business?
York County government’s new site, rolled out a few weeks ago, says accessibility to information is key and it must be user–friendly. It must work well on mobile devices as well as a desktop or laptop, particularly when 72 percent of those who access the county website do so on a mobile device.
That is the word from Human Resources Director Linda Corliss, who, along with Communications Consultant Katherine Derby, spearheaded the change that began about a year ago.
While additional information will be added in the weeks ahead, the website www.yorkcountymaine.gov is up and running.
“It was put together with the thought that if you knew nothing about how county government works, the new website would make (learning) easy,” Derby recently told York County commissioners.
That means those interested in checking out York County’s use of American Rescue Plan Act funding, the planned first responder training center and a planned new, expanded recovery facility can easily find information on the website. For instance, someone interested in working in corrections, for the district attorney’s office or other county department can scout careers.
Or someone with no knowledge at all about Maine’s first county — established in 1636 — can find information about the county manager, District Attorney’s Office, Emergency Management Agency, Facilities, Finance, Human Resources, Information Technology, Registry of Deeds, Registry of Probate, and the Sheriff’s Office, which includes the patrol division, civil process, and the county jail.
York County government’s new website was designed to be mobile friendly. Rolla Wells photo
“I said ‘we need to do something,'” said Corliss. She said the county government is so busy getting the work done that the public is not always kept abreast of what has been accomplished.
Derby, a communications professional who consults with several nonprofits, including the county government, worked with Corliss, reaching out to department leaders to highlight what happens in their area.
Besides outlining county government functions and initiatives, agendas, minutes, and more, the new website provides a link to information archived on the old website at https://archive.yorkcountymaine.gov and also provides links to the websites of all 29 York County municipalities.
It was a time-consuming process, gathering information, photographs, and then compiling it all into a user-friendly way, county officials said. Industry standards indicate websites should be reworked every two to three years, but that had not happened in York County.
Now, the website will be updated regularly, said Corliss, bringing new information to York County’s 211,972 residents, as counted in the 2020 census.
County Commissioner Justin Chenette said the new site is a “huge step up” from the previous website.
“It will be really helpful for our constituents,” he said.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
