City and Borough of Sitka (AK)
www.cityofsitka-ak.gov
It should come as no surprise to anyone who uses the SLGN Directory that I really like visiting government websites. That doesn't mean that I'm a fan of 'all governor, all the time' sites. The focus of government websites should be on the users not the current office holders. Local governments are closer to the people and their websites offer a peek at the kind of communities that are out there. Among my favorites are the local government sites in Alaska.
Today I changed the link in our directory for the City & Borough of Sitka. The website includes department pages, lots of tax info, and various forms that residents may find useful. Surfing the navigation links I came across several fun features.
West Cam
"Positioned atop city hall in downtown Sitka, this view overlooks Japonski Channel in the foreground and Japonski Island and Mt. Edgecumbe in the distance. Japonski Island is connected to Sitka via cable-stay bridge and houses the Rocky Gutierrez Airport, Coast Guard Air Station and the Coast Guard buoy tender Maple."
Webcams are great for showing construction sites, downtown plazas, and dangerous intersections. They can also help promote tourism. Panoramic images from Sitka's other webcam show the city as the seasons change.
The Library
Since I also maintain Metronet's Libcat Directory I usually check out any libary links. I've visited the Sitka Library online before and recognize a kindred spirit in the designer of the Youth Services page. Love the covers and photos.
But the real catch of the day was the link on the main library page to Termite TV's video interviews with local residents. The 14 five-minute interviews are well worth watching. Of particular interest is Janet L.-E.'s description of how oil changed community life in Sitka. Teachers will find the Life Stories from 18 different states useful in the classroom. The rest of us will just enjoy watching ordinary people share a bit of their lives with the world.
Like most web-surfers I wandered away from where I started and learned a bit in the process.
Posted by DN: July 23, 2004 Permalink