No matter how small your municipality, a website can be a valuable tool to communicate with residents. Creating a municipal website from scratch can seem like a daunting task, though. With over a decade of experience creating and populating municipal websites, we’ve compiled a list of things to help small governments and municipalities create robust, easy-to-update, and meaningful websites for their residents.
Features and Functionality
ADA Accessibility – While there is no legal requirement to have an ADA compliant website as of late 2021, it is still a good idea to try to accommodate residents with disabilities.
Calendar of Events – Some things that a municipality may want to include in their calendar could include upcoming meetings, trash collections days, and community events. Some calendar plugins make it easy to differentiate between categories if you set them to different colors in the settings.
Contact Form – Give residents an easy way to contact your government with a contact form right on the website.
Cybersecurity Awareness – Since both residents and municipal employees alike do much of the business online, keep them up to date with cyber security reminders. CyberSafe Work provides a new, free cybersecurity awareness poster each month. You can embed the poster right on your website.
Document Management – Document management is a must for any municipality. Many are required to make agendas and minutes available to their residents in addition to the ordinances, forms, fee schedules and more that your residents may find useful. Our Functional Gov plugin makes it a breeze to keep all of your documents updates on your website.
Emergency Alerts – There are times when a municipality may want to have an alert on the website. A boil water advisory is a perfect example. Our Functional Gov plugin allows municipalities to create alerts on their websites and format them according to importance.
Payment Gateway – Make payments easier by placing a link to your municipal bill payment gateway right on your website.
Savvy Citizen / Swift 911 – Reverse 911 systems allow municipalities to reach all residents who opt in at once. While these services are not free, they can be useful.
A Few Example Sites
Content Outline
Here is an overview of what could go on your municipal website. Keep in mind that all municipalities are different. Not all of this information applies to every borough, township, city, or municipality. Take what you need; leave what doesn’t apply. Did we miss something? Let us know what you’d add to the list.
- Homepage:
- Welcome message and introduction to the community.
- Quick links to popular services and resources.
- News and announcements.
- Events calendar.
- Contact information.
- About Us:
- Overview of the municipality’s history, demographics, and geography.
- Government structure.
- Mayor’s message.
- Mission and vision statement.
- Documents:
- Agendas & Minutes
- Forms
- Zoning Permits
- Ordinances
- Resolutions
- Services:
- Overview of services offered by the municipality, such as:
- Utilities (water, electricity, gas).
- Trash and recycling.
- Permits and licenses.
- Public transportation.
- Parks and recreation.
- Public safety (police, fire, emergency services).
- Stormwater Management
- How to access these services (online forms, phone numbers, etc.).
- Frequently asked questions.
- Overview of services offered by the municipality, such as:
- Departments:
- List of departments (e.g., Public Works, Planning and Zoning, Finance, Human Resources, etc.).
- Brief description of each department’s responsibilities.
- Contact information for department heads.
- Government:
- Information about the council members.
- Meeting schedule and agendas.
- Minutes from past meetings.
- How to participate in council meetings.
- Community Resources:
- Information about local schools, libraries, and healthcare facilities.
- Community centers and programs.
- Non-profit organizations and volunteer opportunities.
- Local businesses and economic development resources.
- Doing Business:
- Resources for businesses looking to start or expand in your community.
- Permits and licenses for businesses.
- Economic development initiatives.
- Business directories.
- Residents:
- Information for residents on municipal services and resources.
- Housing assistance.
- Utilities, billing, payment gateway.
- Community events and programs.
- Visitors:
- Things to do in or near your community.
- Tourist attractions and landmarks.
- Dining and accommodations.
- Maps, directions, transit, parking information.
- News & Events:
- Latest news and press releases.
- Calendar of upcoming events.
- Photo galleries or slideshows of past events.
- Contact Us:
- General contact information.
- Departmental contacts.
- Feedback form or email address for inquiries.
- Reporting issues (e.g., potholes, street lights out).
- Accessibility, Privacy, Terms of Use:
- Information on accessibility services and accommodations.
- ADA compliance information.
- Language translation options.
- Privacy policy.
- Cookie statement.
- Terms of Use.
- Emergency Information:
- Emergency contact numbers.
- Information on emergency preparedness.
- Updates during emergencies or natural disasters.
- FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions):
- Commonly asked questions and answers about municipal services, permits, etc.
- Search function for easy navigation.
Content Breakdown
Announcements – What’s going on in your municipality? Having an event? A fundraiser for a local organization? Keep your residents up to date with announcements right on the homepage of your website.
Documents – Documents come in all shapes and sizes for local governments. From Right to Know request forms to Agendas and Minutes to Forms, Ordinances, and Fees, the Functional Gov plugin makes uploading documents easy.
Government – It is important to let residents know how is in charge of your municipality. Having a “Government” page can help to keep council members, elected officials, paid staff and their contact information readily available.
History – Many boroughs in PA, as well as many municipalities across the US, have a rich history. If your municipality doesn’t have a dedication historical society to which you can link, consider adding a history section to your website.
Parks and Recreation – Do you have parks in your municipality? It’s a good idea to explain where they are, what they offer, and any rental information that residents might need to take full advantage of this valuable resource.
Police/Fire – Even if your municipality does not have its own police or fire department, you can still link to the police and/or fire departments that service your area from your website. If your borough or municipality does have its own police and/or fire services, let residents know who’s in charge, where they are located, and who they should contact with issues.
Public Works or Services – Some boroughs have a robust public works department. Others may rely on services from outside vendors. Let your residents know about trash & recycling, streets, lights, snow removal, leaf collection, lawn waste collection, water, sewer and more via a public works or services page on your website.
Stormwater information – PA boroughs are required to post information about how they handle stormwater.
What NEW residents should know – It’s exciting to welcome new residents to your borough! Having a page for local information (cable, gas, water, sewer, etc) can make them feel welcome in their new town.
A Few Example Sites
Getting Started
If you’re a member of PSAB, they partner with WebsiteForGov to offer a discount on website design and updates!
If your municipality is not a borough, or you’re outside the state of PA, check out Website for Gov for a list of services, features and functionality.
