The Town of West Hartford has completely revamped its website, with a format that is more mobile-responsive.

By Ronni Newton

The Town of West Hartford’s new website went live late last week, with a dramatic and fresh new look and elements designed to better reflect the vibrancy of the town and at the same time work better on mobile devices. The new website is also ADA-compliant.

“We needed to rethink our web presence, and develop a solution that would serve as our digital communications hub both during and post COVID-19,” Chief Information Officer Jared Morin said in a statement Monday morning announcing the new website.

The goal was to enhance the overall user experience, access to resources and online learning materials, and improve navigation while at the same time removing outdated materials.

An announcement called the new website “a powerful, digital hub for information, activities, and commerce for the community, businesses and visitors.”

Launched on July 6, 2020, West Hartford’s website is mobile responsive, features unique design elements and is completely ADA compliant. During the redesign process, efforts were made to improve navigation, remove outdated materials and enhance overall user experience.

The site is hosted by Finalsite, a Connecticut-based company that serves more than 5,000 government organizations, schools, and universities. It’s the same platform that West Hartford Public Schools switched to last year, a move that helps the town and school district cut costs through efficiencies and the sharing of resources.

“The West Hartford Information Technology Department is a shared service between the Town of West Hartford and West Hartford Public Schools; this is just the latest example of a shared resource, which includes a town-owned fiber optic network to all school and municipal buildings, saving over $300,000 a year in lease payments,” said Morin.

The newly-designed website can be translated into more 75 languages, and incorporates more engaging content including social media and video.

“With our new Finalsite website, we are better equipped to tell our community’s story, provide information for all constituents, and connect with our diverse population. Everything was designed with the needs of our community in mind to provide the best user experience possible,” said Morin.

Gerard Gustafson, director of client success at Finalsite said he was thrilled to partner with the town to launch the new website. “We trust the site will leverage their exceptional reputation and help West Hartford take their communications and marketing efforts to the next level.”

The town’s previous website was launched in 2015.

The URL, westhartfordct.gov, remains unchanged.

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