Community Websites Are Up and Running
The progressive and forward-thinking leadership of Cedar county’s largest community has vastly improved its little corner of the world wide web. This month, Tipton has announced the launch of two very different yet cooperative websites. One is brand new, and the other is a complete overhaul of an existing website.
The new website, www.TiptonIowa.us, is a joint effort of the Tipton Economic Development Corp. (TEDCO) and the Tipton Chamber of Commerce. The groups began the process in late 2005 by calling on the services of Melinda Stonebraker, a web developer with ArrowQuick Solutions, a company based in Oskaloosa. Melinda, a Tipton resident, has enjoyed working on the project. “Working with the Chamber and TEDCO has been a privilege for me personally,” she says. “This project has introduced me to the community and to some of its leaders.”
“TiptonIowa.us isn’t just a promotional site,” says Dr. Mark Niles, a local chiropractor and TEDCO board member. “There is a community calendar, news archive, and other information that visitors and residents alike can benefit from.”
“I think that the most positive thing about our website is that it presents a good first impression of Tipton as an energetic, positive, growing community — the type of place where you would like to raise your family,” notes Chamber Board member Mike Pelzer.
Travis Alden, Tipton’s Community Development Director, also serves as the City’s webmaster. He not only maintains the Chamber/TEDCO site, but has also completely redesigned the official City website. Found at www.TiptonIowa.org, the extensive site is a vast improvement over the old City site. “The old version had a lot of useful information but it was hard to navigate and find what you were looking for,” states Alden, who “basically started from scratch” with the look and layout of the new site. “Tipton really needed this.”
Alden considers the website as “one stop shopping” for anyone looking for information about the Tipton community. Between the sites, there is a myriad of features, such as a searchable business directory, a community photo album, housing information, an interactive community calendar, historical facts and photos, information about city services such as leaf pickup and recreation programs, utility rates, a City Staff directory, zoning ordinances, City Council agendas and minutes, and much more.
Why are these websites so important to the community? “These days, most people’s first impression of Tipton will be the results of a ‘Google’ search,” says Alden. Stonebraker agrees: “More and more people are going to the internet to find information before they pick up a phone, write a letter, or ask someone personally.” The websites are designed to be an up to date, reliable source of Tipton information for residents, visitors, and businesses alike. Local attorney Stuart Werling appreciates how user friendly they are. “Tipton’s new websites are colorful, easy to navigate, and fun to use!”
Contact Travis Alden at cddirector at iowatelecom dot net with website-related questions, comments, and suggestions.
