Municipal Website Launch 2 Weeks Away

Though it's still a bit of a work in progress, township committee got a glimpse at the brand-new municipal website Monday. 

Networks Plus president Anne Caruso explained her team was dealing with "technical difficulties" that prevented them from showing committee pictures and graphics from the website on the large screen in the conference room, but what committee did see—a few were looking at the under-construction site on laptops—they were impressed by.

"It looks gorgeous," said Deputy Mayor Anthony Minniti. 

The new homepage features a logo at the top, with an image of a Native American, in recognition of the Lenni-Lenape Tribe. The township derives its name from the word "Senamensing," the Lenni-Lenape word for "Sweetwater."

The site also has several new sections, including a dropdown menu titled "I Want To," which features options including "Contact Departmental Staff," "File An OPRA Request," "Pay Taxes Online" and "Pay A Traffic Ticket."

"I looked at the site from a citizen's point of view," said Caruso. "I'm looking, what questions do I have? What do I want to know?"

Among some of the other features on the new site: historical information about Cinnaminson; school and church directories; parks and recreation information; and information for new and existing businesses, as well as an incomplete business directory. 

Committeeman Don Brauckmann said he'd like to launch the site at committee's regular meeting on Aug. 19.

"I think we're going to be able to hold that timetable," he said. "It's just the fine-tuning of stuff."

Meanwhile, committee's job will be to explore the site and bring suggestions/concerns to Caruso before the launch. 

"I'm extremely pleased," Brauckmann said. "I think residents will be pleasantly surprised."

The catalyst for the redesign was a recent Monmouth University study that ranked municipal websites across the state. Cinnaminson’s current site was right near the bottom: It was ranked 517 out of the 540 sites evaluated in the study. 

Township officials said they used the study as a baseline for establishing best practices for the website.