WPCNR SCREEN GEMS. July 11, 2007: The City of White Plains went live worldwide with its new website Tuesday afternoon at a news conference where Mayor Joseph Delfino and Director of Economic Development  Melissa Lopez introduced a throng of media to the city's new internet ambassador: www.cityofwhiteplains.com.

 Ms. Lopez said the new site now had a self-contained search engine which by the typing a single word like building, zoning, would whisk the internetter to the page for that department, eliminating one of the handicaps of the previous design. Lopez said that the city is planning to integrate the ability for residents to pay property taxes through the website, then parking fines (pending compatibility and integration of police and parking department computer systems, and eventually registration for Department of Recreation & Parks events. However, those convenience services are an unspecified number of months away.

 The city would not provide a daily updating of city hall and city news even in limited capusle form, the Mayor said due to limited staff,  telling this reporter the city already had a website that performed that service. (WPCNR thanks the Mayor for the compliment). Ms. Lopez said the city television show, Live and Local will be streamed on the website. The Mayor added that city meetings would be announced on the site.

The Mayor said massive documents such as the new Zoning Code and City Charter would now be available through the website, as well as a Community Calendar. Citizens can also e-mail comments to the city through the site.

Adrienne Harrison of PGMS, Melissa Lopez, Public Information Officer & Economic Development Coordinator with Mayor Joseph Delfino at yesterday's news conference.

Melissa Lopez, taking the media through the site as Mayor Delfino observes. Ms. Lopez was credited by the Mayor for developing the concept for the site. Mayor Delfino said the site makeover was to provide more information for the public. His administration has been criticised for not keeping the public abreast of administration plans.

Ms. Lopez said the redesign came about when Adrienne Harrison, of White Plains, an employee of PGMS, a web design firm in Tarrytown, approached the city about the possibility of PGMS redesigning the site as a promotional vehicle for PGMS at no charge to the city. The Mayor emphasized the site was redesigned at no cost to the city taxpayer.