Houston County to overhaul its website for first time in more than a decade

WARNER ROBINS -- In about four months Houston County residents may be able to do more things online that currently require a trip to the courthouse.

The county is overhauling its website for the first time in 12 years, and one aim of the initiative is to allow people more online options for doing business with the county.

The current website offers some of those features, said Barry Holland, the county's director of administration, but the redesign will add more.

"It will add a lot of different functions," he said. "It will be a time saver for people. We will take what's already there and update it."

Exactly what might become available online is still to be determined. Meetings will be held with department heads to find out how the new site could help them.

Holland cited applying for permits as one area that can be expanded on the upgraded website.

Tax Commissioner Mark Kushinka operates one of the busiest county offices. But he said residents already have a full slate of online options for doing business with his office, including paying vehicle and property taxes.

"We pretty much have got everything we can do online," he said. "I don't know what else we can do."

Last week the Houston County Commission approved a contract with Third Wave Digital to do the redesign. The contract was for $12,000 plus $150 per month for web hosting and licensing.

The proposal from Third Wave says the redesign will "ensure optimum viewing across a wide spectrum of mobile and desktop devices." The proposal also says the new site will provide the ability to create photo galleries and an events calendar.

Houston County Commission Chairman Tommy Stalnaker said the new site will be much more customer friendly.

"The county's website is quite antiquated and has been for some time," he said. "I think it's going to be much easier for people who navigate the website."

The website is www.houstoncountyga.org.

To contact writer Wayne Crenshaw, call 256-9725.

This story was originally published April 10, 2016 at 7:27 PM with the headline "Houston County to overhaul its website for first time in more than a decade ."