Case Studies

CLIENT
Municipality of Markstay-Warren

PROJECT
Website Redesign

TIMEFRAME
2020-2021

SCOPE OF SERVICE
Website Development, Graphic Design, Logistics and Tactical Planning.

COMMUNITY PROFILE

Markstay-Warren is a community that combines the beauty and tranquility of a country atmosphere with the convenience of being minutes away from major centres in Northeastern Ontario. As a growing and forward-thinking community, it offers an ideal environment for raising young families, with excellent local schools located in the villages of Markstay and Warren. With access to modern technologies, reasonable tax rates, and its strategic location near Highway 17, as well as its proximity to the Greater City of Sudbury and North Bay, Markstay-Warren presents an ideal opportunity for businesses and industries to establish or expand their operations.

OBJECTIVE

The Municipality of Markstay-Warren sought to revamp its existing website to improve user experience, streamline municipal services, and ensure compliance with accessibility standards. They required a comprehensive online solution that included features such as an events calendar, online bill payments, centralized document management, and an improved community section highlighting news and events within the community.

FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS

1. Graphical and Intuitive Content Management System: The website aimed to provide a user-friendly and visually appealing content management system that could be easily maintained by both technical and non-technical staff.

2. WCAG 2.0 (AA) Accessibility Compliance: The website was designed to meet accessibility standards, ensuring that all users, including those with disabilities, could access and navigate the content effectively.

3. Support for Various Media and Document Formats: The website provided support for different media types, such as images, videos, and documents, allowing the municipality to showcase its content in a wide range of formats.

4. Responsive Design: The website was designed to be responsive, adapting seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices, ensuring a consistent and optimal user experience across desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.

5. SEO Implementation: The website was optimized for search engines, utilizing best practices to improve visibility and search engine rankings, making it easier for users to find relevant information about the municipality.

6. Community News & Alerts Module: The Community News & Alerts module plays a vital role in keeping residents up to date with the latest news and announcements. This feature serves as an invaluable communication channel, providing a centralized platform for sharing important information within the community. Whether it’s announcements from the local government, updates on community events, or news about ongoing projects, the community news module ensures that residents have easy access to relevant and timely information.

7. Fire Rating Module: The inclusion of a Fire Rating module allows local residents to easily access crucial information about fire ratings and associated rules and by-laws from our quick view widget. This tool ensures that residents stay informed about fire risks and can take appropriate measures to protect themselves and their communities, ultimately enhancing their safety and preparedness.

8. By-Law Module: Implementation of our By-law module made it easier for users to find the specific by-laws they need. Municipal staff can effortlessly upload by-laws and supporting files to the municipal by-law manager. The module allows them to add tags, such as "Frequently Requested," for sorting purposes, ensuring quick access to relevant by-laws. Users can now search for by-laws using keywords, year, purpose, type, or tags, and easily view or download the PDF documents on a new page. This improved by-law lookup experience brings simplicity and efficiency to the community.

9. Meetings & Agendas Module: Implementing the Meetings & Agendas module allows us to simplify the process of sharing upcoming meetings. With this module, Municipal staff can easily add their upcoming meetings, including agenda packages, important documents, and live stream links. Once the meeting is concluded, the module automatically archives the event and allows the addition of meeting minutes to be published. This streamlined approach ensures efficient management of meetings and agendas, enhancing transparency and accessibility for the community.

10. Our Property Tax Module: provides a comprehensive solution for managing property taxes in your municipality. Residents can access property tax information and conveniently calculate rough estimates using our intuitive calculation form. The module offers additional tools such as customer importing, invoice creation, and seamless integration with bookkeeping software Sage 300. This all-in-one solution ensures smooth operations and efficient management of property taxes, meeting the needs of both administrators and residents.

OUTCOME

By successfully revamping the municipal services website, our solutions improved accessibility, streamlined processes, and enhanced the overall user experience. The redesigned website provided an easy-to-navigate interface, efficient bill payments, and centralized document management. With the implementation of additional features and continuous improvement, The Municipality of Markstay-Warren is well-positioned to serve its community effectively and efficiently.

VIEW LIVE WEBSITE