DEERFIELD — Those logging onto Deerfield’s town website Friday may have momentarily thought that they ventured onto the wrong site.
The website got a modern facelift early Friday afternoon and town officials are hopeful that its new interface will be more intuitive for residents.
“It’s going to be different, people,” said Town Administrator Kayce Warren at last week’s Selectboard meeting. “It might not be easy to use at first. … The intent is to make this more workable.”
Assistant Town Administrator Jennifer Gannett explained there will be a new agenda center where residents can easily find meeting agendas as well as access Zoom links for hybrid and remote meetings. The center, which can be reached by clicking on the “Minutes and Agendas” tab, features meeting agendas for all boards and committees for the current calendar year.
“The website is hopefully easier to navigate because of the widgets and the tabs,” Gannett said. “It’s going to be a learning process.”
For most residents, the most notable and helpful change will be that they can access Zoom links without opening an agenda. Warren said these “efficiencies” will help people access meetings and participate in local government in fewer steps.
There were some concerns about the town losing its email and emergency notification subscriptions, such as the alerts that went out when Hurricane Henri came through the area last summer, but Gannett said the town was able to retain them.
Deerfield’s website can be reached at deerfield.ma.us.
Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com or 413-930-4081.