Online government

As more people discover the efficiency of doing business and communicating online, cities have made more services available through the Internet. Some of the first services the city of Napa offered online were the building permits function, registration for recreational activities and job applications. Others now include:

• Pay a water bill or recycling-solid waste collection bill

• View and download information on more than 20 city-issued permits and licenses

• See the city calendar and agendas for council, boards and commissions

• Search public records

• See maps of downtown projects, parks, city facilities, areas of flood risk and more.

Recently we’ve added more easy-to-use services to our Web site. If you live or work in Napa, it’s now easier to take care of your business with the city at the place and time of your choice. In addition to the services listed above, now you can:

• File crime reports online: our new online police report was activated May 1. Online police reports are used by many communities for the collection of data on lower-level crimes like theft, lost property, vandalism and vehicle burglaries. This system also provides a police report for your insurance claim at no cost. If you’re not sure how to report your situation, the online system provides the information to help you determine if an online report is the right approach, or whether you should speak with an officer.

• View live or archived video of City Council, Redevelopment Agency Board, Housing Authority Board and Planning Commission meetings: beginning with the May 6 council meeting, live streaming video of meetings will be available. Meetings will also continue to be broadcast on Napa Valley TV–Channel 28. The webcast of these meetings means you do not have to be a cable television subscriber, or even live within the cable company’s reach, to view the meetings. This new service also offers archived video. So if you miss meetings, you can view the archived video later at the time and place you choose. You can watch the whole meeting or just jump to the part that interests you. Another useful component of the new webcast setup is the ability to subscribe to RSS feeds that will alert you when new agendas are posted. User help content on the site will tell you about system requirements, how to get the Windows Media Player if you need it, and more. Look for the “Video on Demand” links on our Web site.

• Get answers, ask questions, or submit requests for service in our Service Center: our online Service Center contains a searchable database of about 300 frequently asked questions about city services and how things are done. If you can’t find the information you need, you can submit a specific question that will be routed to the city staffer who has your answer. The Service Center also includes the “Make a Request” section where you can submit a request for a specific city service. When you see a burned out streetlight, a tree blocking a stop sign, or graffiti that needs to be removed, you don’t need to know who to call — just use the online Service Center. You’ll be able to submit your request quickly and track progress on it, too.

All the services available at www.cityofnapa.org are old news to you if you subscribe to the City of Napa NewsWeekly. If you are not yet a subscriber, register by going to our Web site, click on “Online Services Index” in the Quick Links menu, and then click on “Sign up for newsletters.” Once a week, you’ll get an e-mail with the latest city news, including traffic and construction updates.

Why offer these tools for online access? We think it’s good customer service — and all the citizens of Napa are our customers — to provide easy-to-use methods to contact us, and new ways to be involved in city plans, projects and policies. We’re still available by phone, of course, and our service counters are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each weekday. We hope these new online services will augment the customer service we currently provide, make it easier and more convenient to reach us at.

We’re always interested in learning from our customers, so tell us what information and services you’d like to get from the city of Napa. E-mail me at bmartin@cityofnapa.org or call 258-7843. And yes, we still receive mail, too, at P.O. Box 660, Napa CA, 94559-0660. — Barry Martin, community outreach coordinator

 Napa City Update provides information from Napa city officials about on-going projects of public interest. The column appears on the first Tuesday of each month. All information is from the City of Napa.ʾ