City debuts new website

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City debuts new website
City of Hillsdale revealed a new website on Jan 31. Courtesy

 

City of Hillsdale launched a new website last night, simplifying access to city news and information online.

City Clerk Stephen French called the makeover a “total revamp.”

Throughout the upcoming weeks, the City of Hillsdale Facebook page will spend time featuring some of the website’s updates. According to the Facebook page, the city will continue to return to the website to add more information and fix any problems that may have been overlooked.

According to the city clerk’s office, the old website was not set up for mobile users, but the new website is fully compatible on mobile phones.

The old website prohibited the city from making updates on its own, forcing them to work with a third party website provider for each individual change and work on its schedule.

“The whole thing was cumbersome,” French said.

The backend was archaic, the city could not do updates to it on its own, it needed to contact the website provider and work on its schedule.

The new website clearly features city news and events, as well as live information on any power outages or other problems. Scrolling down the main homepage, viewers can watch a short video tour of Hillsdale.

Clearly offering access to Board of Public Utilities information, online bill payment, a city calendar, public notices, and forms and permits, the new website gives Hillsdale a fresh new look online.

Community member Penny Swan was given a preview to the new website one day before it was officially released. She said she likes it a lot better than the old website.

“I think it is much more user friendly,” Swan said.

With the old website, Swan said she often found it difficult to find the minutes and agendas of city council meetings and other events. The new website makes it easy to find those things, she said.

As to the new aesthetic, which reveals a fresh, new look for the City of Hillsdale, Swan said she thought it was pretty, and that she is “happy we have it.”

“I think they did a good job,” Swan said.

She noted that the website is still a work in progress, and that she did find a missing piece of information, but that the city is working to fix any mistakes in the coming weeks.