New Vernon website gets soft launch

Anthony Branciforte, Journal Inquirer, Manchester, Conn.
·3 min read

Mar. 3—VERNON — A soft launch of the new town website is now live, and officials said it would continue to be updated after both positive and constructive feedback.

Officials have been working to launch a new website for over a year after a survey revealed that many residents desired enhanced public communication from the town, including an overhaul of the site.

NEW WEBSITE

FEATURES: Community calendar, video content

COST: $10,000 for design and one year of hosting

ADDRESS: vernon-ct.gov

"This is just part of our overall strategic communications planning and outreach effort," Town Administrator Michael Purcaro said, noting that the town also has recently rolled out its first official Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube accounts.

That process also involved hiring Communications Specialist David Owens, a former Hartford Courant reporter, last August. Purcaro said Owens has spent countless hours working on the website.

"I think town leadership and the community were really looking for a new design," Owens said, adding that he welcomes suggestions, questions, and comments about the new lay out.

Owens said the big element of the new site is the community calendar, which includes town government and Board of Education meetings as well as various community events. The calendar will cover a wide range of nonprofit events, including school plays, Arts Center East programs, and road races, Owens added.

Some aspects of the website are still being finalized, Owens said, including a new feature of the ALERT Vernon service that sends automatic messages to residents regarding severe weather events and shelter-in-place orders. He said residents could sign up for optional alerts for local events hosted by entities like the Senior Center and Rockville Public Library.

Owens and Purcaro both said archived information including old agendas and minutes are still being migrated from the old website. Purcaro said officials are sifting through archives to make sure only information that is relevant and meaningful to the public is hosted on the new site.

A video tour book section, which includes video packages — some of which feature informational narration — about the creation of Gene Pitney Memorial Park and the demolition of the former Amerbelle Mill building, also has been added. Owens and Purcaro said there are plans to expand the video tour book with additional content.

"The more we can engage a multitude of senses, the better we can communicate our story," Purcaro said.

"We're very proud of what we have here in Vernon," he added. "There's so much to learn and there's so much that's interesting about our story."

Purcaro said the design work and first year of hosting would cost $10,000, which is to be split between the town government and Board of Education budgets. He said the share of the cost to be picked up by each side has not yet been determined.

There has been "lots of positive feedback and a lot of constructive feedback" on the new site, Purcaro said, adding that there would be a continuous quality improvement cycle based on the needs of the community.

To provide Owens with questions or comments, email communications@vernon-ct.gov.

For updates and coverage of Vernon and Stafford, follow Anthony Branciforte on Twitter: @ABranciforte_JI, Facebook: Reporter Anthony Branciforte, and Instagram: @JI_Anthony1.