Three Ways You Can Help Design Montgomery's New Website

It’s not often you get to directly influence how the spends more than $14,000. Village leaders are offering you that chance right now—in fact, they’ve just announced three ways you can help decide what features will be included in the new village website.

The revamped site will be designed by Kansas-based company CivicPlus, and is scheduled to launch in December. But before plans are finalized, village leaders want to hear from you about what you’d like to see on the new site.

Trustees earlier this month gave the go-ahead to three programs that aim to collect community input. They are:

1. Website Design Workshop. On June 14, the village will host a public workshop. Attendees will be able to pick from numerous options of new features for the website, and create their own designs. The workshop begins at 6:30 p.m. at Village Hall. To RSVP, call Intern Rachel Lange at 630-896-8080, ext. 1115, or email lange@ci.montgomery.us.

2. Online survey. Right now on the village website, you can take a survey that will rate your satisfaction with the current site, and ask what you’d like to see on the new one. The survey is free, and comments will be collected until June 30. Call or email Lange for more information. 

3. Montgomery Pride Photo Contest. Village leaders are looking for images that represent Montgomery, to be included in the website design. The contest is open to professional and amateur photographers, using any kind of camera or lens. There are three categories: environment, architecture, and people and activities. You’ll need to download the entry form from the village website, and submit your photos via email to Lange by June17. You can also mail your photos to Rachel Lange, 200 N. River Street, Montgomery, IL  60538. Winners will be recognized at an upcoming Village Board meeting.

The full price tag for the new website is $14,357. According to CivicPlus’ timeline, the plan is to have a design feedback meeting on the new site on Aug. 11, with final design approval set for Sept. 9. Employees will be trained on the new site from Nov. 14 through Nov. 17, and the finished product will launch on Dec. 9.