By By ANDY HAMILTON / Niles Daily Star
NILES – The City of Niles has updated its Web site.
The site, www.ci.niles.mi.us, offers the same features and access previously provided to visitors, plus a few new additions, said Diane Bass, administrative assistant to the city administrator. There are also pictures featuring Niles citizens and the many events and festivals that take place in the City of Four Flags.
"We wanted people in Niles to be able to make it their place to go," Bass said.
By accessing the Web site, people can find the new zoning ordinance, the city's master plan, property assessment information, the code of ordinances from city clerk Ruth Harte and updated electric and sewer rates from the utilities department. A county tax section explaining forfeiture of property is also accessible.
Other options allow users to search the city ordinances by typing a key word, and not by the name or location of the ordinance.
"Things like that give you the opportunity to see what the city is up to and what's coming in the future," Bass said.
Signing up for the alert option will automatically send an email every time a new item goes on the city's calendar, a new event is announced or anything new is added to the Web.
"So you'd be the first to know because as soon as I know and put it on the Web site you know," Bass added.
City council minutes have always appeared on the Web site. The agendas for council meetings will now also be posted on Thursday prior to the Monday meeting.
"We do want to try to get more residents to realize the council is available to them, that the council meetings are open to them," Bass said.
The new design is also easier to navigate and includes a 'How to' section, Bass said.
Thanks to local historians Donna and Herb Ochenryder, former Niles police officer William E. Weaver, who died in 2003, the police and fire departments and other citizen submissions, the Web site also features two photo albums of historic Niles images. Bass said more pictures to add to the site will be taken in the spring and summer at festivals and other events.
The City of Niles was one of the first municipalities in the state to launch a Web site 10 years ago. Bass said the effort also earned the city three or four awards at the time.
But, prior to the recent upgrades the page was outdated, and it wasn't until recently there was extra money to make changes. The new design will surely be an added marketing tool for attracting businesses and families, Bass said.
Bass got help setting up the Web site from a Michigan company, Birmingham-based Municipal Web Services. Niles worked with Municipal Web Services on its first Web site, which was also one of the first projects handled by the company.
Bass said she is still given the freedom to edit and add features of the Niles page, but can call Municipal Web Services with any questions.
"I work on it quite a bit. These people, their only job is Web sites."