By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – New innovations in technology have made access to information easier than ever before, and various government offices in the River Parishes have taken steps to capitalize on the new technology.

The most eye-catching idea comes from St. Charles Parish, where administrators in the Department of Economic Development and Tourism have developed an iPhone application with the help of a New Orleans company.

St. Charles Economic Development Director Corey Faucheux said the app is just the latest in a growing trend of embracing technology within parish government.

“The parish has made an effort to become more technologically savvy since (Parish President) V.J. St. Pierre took office,” Faucheux said. “We are now getting information out to residents through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, and the iPhone was the next logical step.

The application, known as iSCP, is available for free download in the Apple App Store by searching “St. Charles Parish.” Faucheux said the app provides economic development and tourism data to users, whether they’re in-parish seeking a bite to eat or across the country looking for a tract of land to locate a new business.

“The app is targeting three audiences,” Faucheux said. “It can be used by residents as a quick reference for events and attractions, by site selectors looking to bring new commercial or industrial business to the parish or by existing businesses looking to expand or set up shop elsewhere in the parish.”

Two main sections make up the bulk of the app’s content and each includes additional drop-down menus with further information. There are also listings of contact information to get in touch with various parish entities.

The “Tourist Info” section offers visitor information on St. Charles Parish, often considered a popular destination among travelers visiting New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, Faucheux said. Visitors can view an interactive map pinpointing the area’s tourist attractions, see a calendar of events, learn about local history, access a listing of golf courses and learn about local restaurants and lodging options.

In the “Business Advantages” section, those considering the parish for possible new businesses can look into what makes St. Charles a good location for expansion or relocation to the Gulf Coast.

“It allows businesses and site selectors to access key economic statistics, view an interactive map of available properties and find financial and tax incentives,” Faucheux said. “It also includes information about the area’s intermodal transportation network.”

Faucheux said the parish sought the help of a New Orleans company known as Touch Studios, a group that has built similar apps for the regional economic development group Greater New Orleans Inc. He said partial funding for the app came from a Tourism Recovery Grant through BP.

The total cost of the project was around $3,000.

Faucheux said the technology is still considered somewhat of a novelty to some, but the popularity is growing. He said since the app’s launch in early November, it has registered 76 downloads with 18 of those in foreign markets. He said the parish is already working to develop a similar app for Android phones, as well as the Apple iPad.

While there are no current plans to develop a similar app in St. John and St. James parishes, both governments have invested time in developing ways to use new technology.

Both St. John and St. James have made strides to revamp parish websites, and both are active on Facebook. St. John Parish has also added an employee portal element to its website to make it easier for parish employees to access documents and update insurance and other information.