County looks at website improvements

     Jones County is moving forward with a new county website.

     IT Coordinator Lisa Mootz met with the Jones County Supervisors at their Sept. 8 board meeting to discuss options for a new countywide website.

     For the last three or four years, the county has been paying $300 a year for its current website. Each county department, explained Mootz, sets up their individual pages that feed off the main site (www.jonescountyiowa.org). Mootz said the county website isn’t very uniform across the page.

     In addition, the county site is also not ADA compliant. For example, if someone is blind, with the right programming, they can have a website read to them off the computer screen. Mootz said the county’s website does not have that capability.

     “We need to work toward becoming compliant,” urged Mootz. She also wants to see the county’s website easily accessible on a mobile device. Currently it is not mobile friendly.

     She also wants to see county employees’ emails go with .gov versus the current @co.jones.ia.us to be uniform with other government officials.

     County Auditor and Commissioner of Elections Janine Sulzner shared that her new election site, www.jonescountyiowaelections.gov, is up to date, mobile friendly, and ADA compliant.

     “Our website does need improvements,” noted Supervisor Wayne Manternach. “The online participation would only increase, and it would be more accessible to the public. This will be better in the long run.”

     Mootz received two quotes for a new county website, with base estimates of $19,000 and $25,000. She wants to form a website committee of county officials to offer suggestions on what the site needs to include. Supervisors Jon Zirkelbach and Joe Oswald agreed to serve on the committee.

In other county business:

     • The board approved a $41,000 purchase of Microsoft Office licenses to bring all county computer equipment up to date.

     Mootz explained that there are 78 licenses used by county employees that will be unsupported by October. Each license allows a user to have Microsoft Office on up to five different devices.

     The funding will come from Mootz’s IT budget for this initial upgrade. The board wants to see each department plan to budget for the yearly fee for the next fiscal year.

     • The board approved a Vote Safe Iowa Initiative Grant Agreement with the Secretary of State. This is a $19,000 grant through the federal CARES Act that can be used for election purposes.

     Sulzner said they would receive a $10,000 lump sum, $600 per precinct, and funding to assist with processing absentee ballot requests. The funding will also help pay for additional temporary staff in the Auditor’s Office to assist with the election.

     “What we don’t spend through Nov. 13, we send back,” explained Sulzner.

     • The board approved a bid of around $17,000 from Eastern Iowa Blinds for vertical roller shades installed throughout the courthouse.

     • The board approved a request from Conservation to reserve extra funds generated as a result of an increase to camping fees at Central Park. This amounts to roughly $17,000.