CullmanTimes.com - Cullman, Alabama

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July 8, 2010

Local government embracing the web

Business Casual

By Trent Moore The Cullman Times

CULLMAN — It’s never been easier for people to be informed on just about anything — even the local issues hitting home right here in Cullman County.

If you’re curious about a local topic, tons of archived stories from The Times are available with the click of a button on our website (http://www.cullmantimes.com), along with the latest breaking news.

Before working at The Times, I never actually realized how much local information is available about the City of Cullman and Cullman County on the Internet.

Looking for details on all of the various departments within the city? Just click over to the City of Cullman website (http://www.cullmancity.org).

Want a full breakdown of the mayor and town council members of every town? Just check out the Cullman County website ( http://www.co.cullman.al.us).

Even though all of that information is great — the past year or so has brought about even more connectivity for area residents to keep tabs on local government.

The City of Cullman recently compiled all city meeting dates (council, planning commission, economic development, zoning board, etc.) onto an easy-to-use Google Calendar. Anyone interested can see the listings at (http://www.cullmancity.org/Calendar.htm). I’ve even signed up to receive the feed on my personal Google calendar, which makes it a breeze to follow the schedule.

When it comes to promoting a local tourist attraction, the Cullman County Parks Department has done an excellent job with the Stony Lonesome OHV Park website (http://www.stonylonesomeohv.us). Filled with maps and information, the site seems like an excellent tool to attract people to the area.

City officials have also embraced the Internet as an avenue to share details about the big issues. It only takes a cursory glance at a few editions of The Times to pin down one of the biggest things we’re dealing with this year: Water.

On that note, the City of Cullman recently launched a website with maps and information detailing the ongoing plan to build a dam in the Duck River watershed. The site features a lengthy FAQ, which seems like a great approach to answer public questions about the issue.

It’s obvious that we live in a digital world now, and it’s good to see local government and organizations embracing the change.



‰ Trent Moore can be reached by e-mail at trentm@cullmantimes.com, or by telephone at 734-2131, ext. 225.

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