Georgetown, Del., April 15, 2008: Sussex County has a fresh new look to show off to the world – the World Wide Web, that is.

County government on Tuesday, April 15, 2008, launched its newly designed Web portal, an Internet site that features a crisper, more appealing design, improved user functionality and a more orderly grouping of information.

The new design is the first major overhaul of the County Web site in about four years.

“The County’s Web site is often the first point of contact for residents and visitors who utilize County services or who are looking for the latest information,” said County Administrator David B. Baker. “The Internet is a rapidly changing landscape with new technologies and tools, and we’re proud to offer a new-and-improved product that enhances the online experience.”

The County in the mid-1990s launched its first Web site, which, at the time, featured little more than basic contact information, said Eddie Sparpaglione, director of the County’s Information Systems office.

In the years that followed, the County has added a host of other amenities, including agendas and minutes, searchable property records, online maps, live streaming broadcasts of County government meetings, as well as audio archives of those same meetings.

Mr. Sparpaglione, whose office manages the Web site, said the new site will build off previous versions.

“Through this redesign, we believe we are making Sussex County government that much more accessible to the public,” Mr. Sparpaglione said. “The Web is where people go for information, and we want our site to be an intuitive, easy-to-use resource for our constituents.”

Some of the improvements to the site include:

• A Google-based search engine that allows users to scan the entire site and its contents, including PDF documents, allowing for easier retrieval of sometimes hard-to-find information;
• An index of frequently requested County services, as well as links to services provided by the State of Delaware and other agencies;
• An enhanced property search program that will allow users to look for property information by name, tax parcel ID and now by billing address and property description;
• Updated, user-friendly maps that can be viewed or downloaded;
• An expanded news section on the front page to highlight recent happenings in County government;
• Improved font sizes, which users can customize on each page for easier visibility;
• A translation feature that allows users of different languages, including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Chinese and Japanese, to read the site;

Patricia Laurion, the County’s network and applications support specialist who designed the site, said users should find the portal less cluttered and easier to navigate. The overall goal is to make for a better Web experience.

Sussex County’s Web address remains the same at sussexcountyde.gov.

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