SouthOgdenCity.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 Brian Minster, Systems Administrator for South Ogden City.
- SouthOgdenCity.com is a top-notch web portal; what has been your role in its development?
I am the Information & Communication Systems Administrator. My role during the development stage was to oversee the entire process.
- How has the local government in South Ogden City aided you in developing this site?
How has the local government in South Ogden City aided you in developing this site?
- What are the overarching objectives of South Ogden City’s current e-government initiatives?
To be able to provide our citizens and local business owners with any and all information that they may need.
- From a marketing standpoint, what are some of the strategies that you have utilized to draw attention to the information and services provided by SouthOgdenCity.com, both on- and off-line?
Our biggest point of advertisement is our City newsletter. Every resident and business owner in the City receives one every month.
- How has citizen feedback influenced the development of South Ogden City’s e-government services?
Citizen feedback was extremely important. Our citizens are our target users. We tried to put everything that they need online to make things easier for them.
- What is the most-used feature or service on the site?
Our utility billing payment system.
- How has your Facebook page helped in enriching your website? Do you plan to add other forms of social media later on?
There are so many people of Facebook today. By creating a Facebook account, we have made it easier for people to see what is going on in the city.
- How did you decide on the use of a Video Tour Book over traditional text or pictoral methods to inform visitors about South Ogden City?
A local company approached us and presented this idea to us. We felt that a video tour would be a great way to make the website more personal. The video presents a great message from our Mayor along with images from in and around South Ogden City.
- 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 South Ogden City’s web portal?
We are currently in the process of doing a major upgrade to our website. The new site will have a completely different look and feel to it. Along with pertinent information that will be available to citizen and business, we will also be expanding our e-commerce abilities.