AlbanyNY.gov has been recognized by Juggle as one of the top city government websites in the state of New York. Below you'll find an interview with Simone Miranda, Information Specialist and Webmaster for the City of Albany.
- AlbanyNY.gov is a top-notch web portal; what has been your role in its development?
Through a partnership with Light and Power Communications, we have created a website that will act as a medium to provide not only the static information vital to dealing with the City of Albany, but also, an avenue for interactive service.
- Can you summarize the history of Albany's web portal?
The City of Albany’s website was redesigned in May 2007 with the new .gov domain name. The new www.albanyny.gov website has additional features such as Assessment Parcel Locator, Tentative Assessment Roll, Job Postings and Exam Announcements, Online Payments for property taxes and parking tickets, Roadwork and Construction updates, etc...
- What are the overarching objectives of Albany's current e-government initiatives?
The face of municipal service is an ever-changing commodity. From the advent of the Internet, more and more users are turning to the online environment on a daily basis to answer pressing questions and complete necessary tasks. For this reason, the City of Albany felt it was important to provide services that will enhance efficiency for the residents, business owners and visitors.
- From a marketing standpoint, what are some of the strategies that you have utilized to draw attention to the information and services provided by AlbanyNY.org, both on- and off-line?
The City of Albany offers a wide variety of information on our website. A major incentive of having our exam announcements and job openings posted on our website has been to provide an avenue for more awareness and has encouraged more users to utilize the website. Current roadwork and construction updates posted on the website are yet another example of how residents can easily obtain needed information. This feature is very critical in times of major emergencies such as a snow emergency declaration.
- How has citizen feedback influenced the development of Albany's e-government services?
The website features a “Contact Access” form which enables an individual to contact a specific Department with a question or concerns relating to a specific problem. This allows for a representative from that Department to acknowledge the problem and respond to it in a timely manner.
- What is the most-used feature or service on the site?
Currently, the most-used feature on our website is the Events Calendar due to the fact that the City of Albany offers many free concerts and other special events throughout the course of each year. It is a valued resource for both residents and visitors to be able to get a calendar of events, meetings and other governmental happenings.
- Albany has integrated an interactive Q&A feature into its web portal; how does this help Albany connect more personally to its citizens? How have citizens responded to this service?
This feature is essential to the user because it helps to narrow their search and guide them towards the specific Department. In many cases, an individual will be able to find a solution without having to go an extra step.
- Where do you see e-government heading in the next 2-3 years? Are there any exciting new features or services currently in the works for Albany's web portal?
With the rising mobile network and need for information on the go, E-government is fundamental in today’s technological world. It will be fascinating to see how government reacts to the rising trend of technology. The City of Albany is constantly trying to update and create new services and features to better enhance the capabilities of the website.
- What else that you would like to tell us about AlbanyNY.org?
I would like to point out that the City of Albany has a new Domain name, which is www.albanyny.gov. However, you can still access our website through www.albanyny.org