Tama County’s new website was built with an eye toward accessibility. According to Pew Research Center survey in 2021, roughly 15% of Americans do not have a home broadband internet connection and are dependent on a smartphone to access the internet. The design mockup pictured illustrates how the new website conforms to be functional and accessible on both mobile and desktop devices. IMAGE COURTESY TAMA COUNTY TREASURER

TOLEDO – On June 14, Tama County launched a brand new county website. The website project, funded entirely with federal grant dollars from the American Rescue Plan Act, was taken on to improve communications and provide online access to more county services. No county tax dollars were used for the project, and the ongoing maintenance costs are covered by fees already included in the county budget to maintain the previous website.

The website can be found at www.tamacounty.iowa.gov. The new design replaces the county’s original website that was first brought online in 2002.

“One of our primary goals was for residents and visitors seeking information about Tama County government services to have an accessible, attractive and robust place to land when they seek us out online,” explained Amanda Kriegel, Tama County Website Committee Chair. “The previous website served us well for many years, but I feel this new project brings us in line with the type of web presence currently being offered by local governments.”

The new site was developed by Iowa-based website development company Neapolitan Labs. The company has launched and maintains 21 Iowa county government websites — more than any other provider in Iowa. This strong track record was a large point of consideration for the county website committee as they determined the best company for the project.

“The Neapolitan Labs team gave us exactly what we were hoping for in a website that toes the line between form and function,” said Kriegel. “On one hand, we need a website that markets Tama County in an inviting way. And on the other hand, we need the website to also be useful and easy to work with. We’ve hit the target on both of those goals, and I think that will be apparent to users when they first check out the new site.”

Neapolitan Labs worked with the website committee and each county department to develop a modern site focused on usability for the public and county staff.

“Internally, we’ll see benefits from being able to use the website as a more comprehensive reference tool,” Kriegel, who also serves as County Treasurer, said. “In my department for example, we now have a page called Forms and Applications that consolidates a long list of property tax and Iowa DOT forms that we use with customers on a regular basis.”

Beyond the site’s updated design, improvements include user-friendly navigation, mobile responsiveness and several key features to assist county residents and visitors when utilizing the site.

Prominent Search

Site search can be accessed from any page on the website in the top right navigation, working seamlessly on mobile and desktop devices. Clicking on the search icon will open up a search bar where site visitors can begin typing keywords. The site search will immediately display results based on the search term matching page titles, descriptions and keywords; FAQs; or a staff directory. Not seeing what you’re looking for? Clicking “search” will bring up a full results page of matches.

Quick Links

The homepage now includes six quick links so users can conveniently access popular pages, including Board Meetings, Elections, Property Tax and more. County staff can update the quick links throughout the year depending on the public’s needs.

“As we get further along with the new site we’ll also be offered analytics reports that will help us see how users are interacting with the website,” Kriegel said. “This should give us opportunities to improve the site over time if we see pages or items that are popular that could be brought more to the forefront of the site for easier access.”

News & Events

When scrolling the homepage, website visitors will find a News and Announcements section consisting of news from county departments and recently posted job listings and bid notices. From there, users can view more news posts, employment listings, or bid notices if they choose.

Upcoming events are highlighted in the next section, including Board of Supervisors meetings, Conservation events and more. A full schedule of events can be viewed on a new Calendar page where users can view events by month, including holiday closures. Holiday closures can also be viewed at any time from the website footer by clicking on “Holidays” or from each department’s page under “Hours.”

Department & Service Directory

A new Departments and Officials directory provides site visitors with a list of each county department, the department’s general contact details and a breakdown of its services. Users can then click on a department or service to find more information. A search feature allows users to more quickly search through the page.

Notifications

A new notifications feature allows the public to subscribe to email updates from the county for topics of their choosing, including when county alerts, bid notices, jobs, news and Board of Supervisors agendas and minutes are posted. Users can unsubscribe at any time.

“Residents will now have an easier, more convenient way to stay in touch with updates and things going on at our county government,” Kriegel said.

Frequently Asked Questions

Residents can now save themselves a call or email by searching for their questions in a new FAQ section. There, county departments have provided answers to commonly asked questions. FAQs can be accessed on each department page or all department questions and answers are included on a main FAQ page.

Online Employment Application

Those looking to apply for jobs with the county will now be able to do so via a convenient online employment application. The online application is linked from each posted job listing and asks the applicant for contact information, education and employment history and other details. County staff can customize the application to require attachments, like cover letters or resumes for each posted position.

About the County

Five new pages have been added to the site with helpful reference information of resources and organizations around the county. Those include a list of county boards and commissions, a list of county cemeteries with their locations and directions, a list of townships with their officials and budgets, a list of school districts and a communities page that compiles key information for each incorporated city in the county.