Duarte Launched Newly

Designed Website Nov. 1

DUARTE, CA, November, 2010 – The City of Duarte launched its newly designed www.accessduarte.com website on Nov 1. City Council members received a preview of the new website at the Oct. 26 City Council meeting. The website features

easy to use links designed to connect residents with their most requested information at the click of a mouse.

The innovative, user-friendly format will replace the current City of Duarte website first launched in 2001. The new format allows for quick and efficient updates including emergency alerts, new technology integration to meet future needs and cost effectiveness allowing staff to complete ongoing updates for a fraction of the current website budget.

With the new website, residents will be able to access a series of fresh features including streaming council meeting video supported by Duarte Public Access (DCTV). It also features a latest news section, Today in Duarte, community newsletters, a news vault section to allow research into past news releases, multi-language translation, 508 Compliance, making it accessible to the visually impaired through the ability to enlarge font sizes and a breaking news banner. Users will also have the ability to sign up and receive e-news alerts and utilize an interactive community calendar.

The website also integrates Social Networking. The Homepage will now allow access to Twitter where users will be guided to a new City of Duarte Twitter page.  The Twitter account will serve three primary purposes, according to Deputy City Manager, Karen Herrera, to get emergency information out quickly, promote City-sponsored events and meetings, and refer followers to content hosted at www.accessduarte.com.

Ewing & Beland, of Monrovia, was contracted to re-design the City website at a cost of $13,000.  Ewing & Beland brings over 20 years of experience to the table and has several other municipal clients including the City of Monrovia. Duarte previously contracted with Ewing & Beland to design and launch the City’s successful www.duarteyouth.org website in June 2008.  The www.duarteyouth.org website is an online resource guide that provides families with information on more than 100 programs, activities and services available to youth in the San Gabriel Valley.

For more information, call Deputy City Manager/Public Information Officer, Karen Herrera at (626) 357-7931, or visit www.accessduarte.com.

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