SLCGov.com has been recognized by Juggle as one of the top city government websites in the state of Utah. Below you'll find an interview with Bill Haight, Chief Information Officer for the Salt Lake City.
- SLCGov.com is a top-notch web portal; what has been your role in its development?
In my current role as Salt Lake City’s Chief Information Officer, I have responsibility for the technology and overall operation of the website. Previous to this role, I had direct supervisory responsibilities for the City’s web team. The web team did the initial design and layout and then turned the pages over to the departmental webmaster for maintenance and updating of content. The City’s IT department traditionally has had responsibility for the look and feel of the website although individual departments have had autonomy in the presentation and content of their respective pages.
- Can you summarize the history of Salt Lake City’s web portal?
The City’s first web presence was in the mid-‘90s. From the first days of a few static pages, the site has evolved to include dozens of online services and information that is of interest to businesses, residents, and visitors to the City.
- What are the overarching objectives of Salt Lake City’s current e-government initiatives?
The primary goals of the City’s initiatives are to inform residents, engage them in dialogue on City issues, and serve the public through online services. These goals are met with a variety of services and applications.
- From a marketing standpoint, what are some of the strategies that you have utilized to draw attention to the information and services provided by SLCGov.com, both on- and off-line?
SLCGOV.COM has been promoted through public meetings, community meetings, demonstrations, flyers passed out at community functions, and promo spots on the City’s government access cable TV channel.
- How has citizen feedback influenced the development of Salt Lake City’s e-government services?
Feedback has most definitely influenced our services. As the website has matured and evolved, departments have worked with the public to determine the online resources that would best serve the community. From this effort has come services such as online payments, online voter information, calendars and town hall discussions, and a host of other online services.
- What is the most-used feature or service on the site?
Use varies depending on the issues and activities going on in the City at any given time. For the period beginning July 1, 2010, the most utilized services on the website were pages referring to the free outdoor Twilight Concert Series, the Online Jobs, and the City Justice Courts.
- How are you making your website an interactive experience for citizens and visitors?
There are numerous pages and sites on the slcgov website that encourage a dialogue between the public and the City on varying issues. The latest addition is the Open City Hall tool. This service, provided by Peak Democracy, allows the City to post specific topics and enables the public to comment or provide feedback on those topics. Other areas where the web is leveraged to improve communication with constituents is the Open Government Initiative website (transparency.slcgov.com). The implementation of the ProjectDocs system enables builders and the public to digitally submit building plans and participate in an online dialogue with the City’s plan reviewers. The implementation of the Citizen Access module into the Accela system also provides a level of visibility of information not seen in other municipalities.
- In what way has harnessing social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.) allowed you to connect more directly and personally with the citizens of Salt Lake City?
There are numerous social media tools in use by the City. There are several RSS feeds to which the public can subscribe on a variety of topics. Additionally, the Mayor’s Office has a YouTube channel used to promote various programs in the works. Police, Fire, and other departments have active FaceBook presences and Twitter accounts.
- How does your "Open City Hall" prompt civic engagement and how does it affect government decisions that affect citizens?
Open City Hall is a subscription service from Peak Democracy and is a recent addition to the services provided by the City to the public. This tool enables us to gather feedback and insight from the public in an organized, thoughtful way, helping elected leaders make informed decisions and fostering a community dialogue.
- 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 Salt Lake City’s web portal?
Salt Lake City will continue to look for ways to further engage and serve the public. We anticipate some consolidation of data sources and making more information and services available online.
- What else that you would like to tell us about SLCGov.com?
Stay tuned, the best is yet to come.