New, up-to-date Web site is on the way for Itasca

A new, current and spiffy Web site is in the works for Itasca.

Monday night, village board members discussed must-haves for the site, which will run up a bill of about $17,000 for the Web site design. Luckily, the project will be funded by a grant from Itasca Bank and Trust.

The new site is in the planning and organizing stages, and should be up and running in June.

Village Administrator David Williams said the village isn't happy with the current site because it's not up to date and is difficult to navigate.

We need something more village-friendly, something that services the entire village and has more updated information, he said.

New features could include online bill pay and a place for businesses and real estate. The new site will have links for the village's public works, community development and water departments. There also will be additional links directing residents to the village's library and school districts.

Itasca's fire district, police department and park district will continue to be part of the site.

Village President Gigi Gruber is enthusiastic about the new site.

It really should be a useful, resourceful tool, she said.

"That's really my main objective," she said.

Dan Corcoran, Itasca's IT manager said the village has been looking into a new site since early January. Even though the current site provides information for the village, the village's park district and fire districts, it's several years old and some links and portions are older than others.

Corcoran said information's kind of all over the place right now.

"We want the Web site to be a place where people can get information and use information about the village," he said. "We kind of want one nice flow."