By ROBIN SHANNON

L’Observateur

LAPLACE – After months of tweaking and tinkering with different designs and layouts, a new website for St. John the Baptist Parish government is now live and ready for visitors.

Paige Braud, spokesperson for St. John Parish, said the new site, which launched last Wednesday, allows for easier navigation and access to services available through parish government.

“The old site was fine, but it was also several years old,” Braud said. “We wanted something clean and functional that was more user friendly.”

Braud said the parish used extensive research from staff members, parish employees and residents in designing the new site. She said the parish was looking to create a site that included the information people wanted to see.

“The information is better organized, clearly written and easier to find,” Braud said. “Our goal has always been to have a website that acts as an extension of government functions. We want it to be a resource for residents.”

The new site features separate pages for each department within the parish administration. Braud said each page includes a clear definition of the role of each department, the responsibilities of the department’s director and how to immediately contact that director.

“The site has easy access to contact numbers and e-mail addresses for all directors and major parish employees,” Braud said. “If a resident has a question or a concern, all the information is right there for them.”

There is also more detail pertaining to the various governing boards in the parish, including a listing of each board member and a broader meeting schedule for each board.

The parish has also added and updated interactive maps that show recreational facilities, zoning and flood maps. There are also new maps that show the districts for each of the nine council members.

Braud said the site also includes a wider array of outside links to other parish services, including the school system, fire departments, the sheriff’s office and the parish transit authority.

“We want the website to be a one-stop site for all services,” Braud said.

Braud said as the weeks go on, the parish will continue to add new features to the site, including the parish code of ordinances, bid tabulations, all requests for proposals for parish services and links to paperwork for all current contracts operating in the parish.

“We are striving for complete transparency with this new site,” Braud said. “It has allowed us to share information not previously available to the public.”

Braud said although the site is live, there are still some things missing that need to be added.

She also said the parish is also still seeking input and suggestions from the general public regarding what to add or change.

“It is the public’s site, and they should have some say as to what they want to see on it,” Braud said.

Residents can access the site at www.sjbparish.com.