Calvert County took two more bold steps forward into the Information Age Tuesday, Nov. 20. For the first time in nine years, the Calvert County Government’s web site has been modified. On what amazingly resulted in a unanimous decision, county government will also have its own Facebook page. The latter action didn’t happen until some commissioners expressed misgivings about associating the county with the popular social network.
Representatives of local government’s Office of Technology Services and the Department of Economic Development conducted the presentations. In a memo to the commissioners, Technology Services Director Joseph Klausner explained that government started researching replacement to the web site’s content management system during the summer of 2011. A committee comprised of representatives from each government department then worked with Eddie Vanover of Technology Services and Mark Volland of the Department of Economic Development “to modernize the look and functionality of the web site,” Klausner stated.
“About 70 staff members have been trained to use the web site,” said Kathleen O’Brien of Technology Services. “County staff put a huge amount of time into this. This web site is a living thing.”
“The new web site will also retain critical functions of the current web site including online registration and payment for Parks and Recreation activities, links to NeoGov (county job openings), links to bids and proposals such as eMaryland Marketplace.
One added component is a feature called “Notify Me,” which will allow citizens to sign up and receive e-mails about new events before they are posted on the site.
Additionally site visitors can access th
