“We are providing yet another way to present information about our city and its services.”--Sunny Isles Beach Mayor David Samson.
By Elisa L. Rineheart
Contributing Writer
From elections results to cultural events,
www.sibfl.net, the city of Sunny Isles Beach new and improved website offers a myriad of information that can be easily accessed online.
Commonly used data and statistics about the city such as population, tax base growth, budget and millage rate as well as infrastructure and services are
summarized and presented in a user friendly municipal website. The clear and concise manner in which the information is displayed promotes quick reading, a key element for Internet users
since they normally don not spend more than 15 to 20 seconds browsing an informational page, said Sergio Ceron, a computer systems analyst.
“People use the internet as a quick reference. Most of the time they use it at work and expect accuracy and brevity,” said Ceron.
The Sunny Isles Beach Website project was the result of close collaboration between the city and Miami Dade County e-Government Department. The final
product emerged from the assumption that users with different levels of computer literacy would be visiting the website regularly.
Alyce Hanson, director of administrative services, in conjunction with Miami Dade County’s Chief Information Officer Randy Witt and director of
e-government Judi Zito, led the efforts bring the city to new technological horizons by connecting it to the Worldwide Web.
Residents, business owners, developers and visitors will be able to obtain relevant information without having to stop by city Hall. Biographical data of
city officials and key employees such as the city clerk is published online along with a calendar of commission meetings, zoning hearings, a listing of ordinances and resolutions, code
compliance, job information, permitting and licensing, hurricane guidelines and many other helpful subjects.
“We are providing yet another way to present information about our city and its services,” said Sunny Isles Beach Mayor David Samson.
The website also features a “Quickfind” index. Arranged in alphabetical order, this mini database provides information on a wide variety of topics among
them: community shuttles, employment, waste disposal, beach access, cultural events, police and elderly services. As opposed to other governmental websites, www.sibfl.net does not contain administrative personnel and city official’s e-mail addresses.
Webmasters, a Tampa based Internet presence provider and Web page designing company, worked with city officials on the visual and artistic presentation of
the city’s online news and information source. Webmasters is also the creative mind behind www.miamidade.gov.
Some of the tasks that can be performed online include:
* Review and pay a parking ticket
* Renew an auto tag
* Register to vote
* Search civil and court records
* Apply for a library card
* Renew a driver’s license
* Order recycle bins
* Buy a Sunpass
* Check traffic reports
* Search recorded documents
* Get a fishing or hunting license
* Schedule a trash pick up
