etownblog.org

The Hartford Courant just reported on an upcoming meeting of “Municipalities to Discuss Energy-Saving Strategies“. In e-Town, there are many opportunities to reduce energy usage by municipalities and residents. By offering residents and local businesses Web based access to municipal services, town hall can reduce the hours of operation and save energy and maintenance as a result. Residents and businesses don’t need to travel to town hall saving gasoline and time. Through Web based service requests, the municipality can better plan dispatch routes and inspections, saving gas and time. The Web also enables multiple municipalities to share services and resources, opening additional energy saving alternatives. As a bonus, the Web eliminates the need for paper and all the associated production energy. Every municipality should explore the opportunities for energy savings through Web based services.

The summer months are upon us and the local news is full of reports on Town Hall “short weeks.” Although this is good for the budget, it can have negative effects on local residents and businesses. The inability to request services on weekends and now Fridays or Mondays can make it difficult, particularly if you work or run a business that requires town support. But this issue results from “brick and mortar” town hall processes. When services can be requested from the web, these limitations disappear if town processes and employees are “web enabled”. For example, many permits can be applied and paid for via the web. Although physical inspections and drawings may be required for some permits, much of the application and tracking process can still occur 24 x7. If the inspectors and other department personnel are connected to the web, appointments, reviews and approvals become much more flexible.

The same also holds for other service requests, such as repairs or removals, that can be made over the web and responded to at any time. With the reducing cost of web connected phones and other devices, more and more citizens and town personnel can connect forming a virtual town hall that costs less to maintain but serves local citizens and businesses better than before!