County website hits road

Adrienne Packer

Thursday, Aug. 27, 1998 | 10:50 a.m.

Clark County has captured national awards for its homepage and Wednesday it launched a program to capture the attention of all local residents by providing access to people who don't own personal computers.

County computer specialists figured the best way to celebrate the opening of seven neighborhood access centers Wednesday was with a brief cyberspace ribbon-cutting ceremony.

The 27-inch television monitors set up in community centers across the valley were equipped with Internet access. Not only can residents find out what is happening on the desert floor, but they can do a little web surfing.

"When we came out with this elaborate website, the (Clark County) commissioners said it was great, but what about people who don't have PCs?" said Hilarie Grey, a county public information officer. "This was the most efficient, user-friendly way to do it."

The television monitor set-up, called "Web TV," cost about a third of the price of personal computers. The county spent about $700 on each station, Grey said.

The county hopes people will use the access centers to find out about parks and recreation schedules, Clark County Commission agendas and even conduct business with the Planning Department.

Grey anticipates stations in the Mount Charleston Community Center and the Spirit Mountain Activity Center in Laughlin may be the most heavily used.

"It will save people trips to the government center," Grey said. "That's why people in more remote areas are most excited about it."

The other stations included in the county's pilot program are at the following locations: Helen Meyer Community Center, 4525 New Forest Dr.; Lowden Community Center, 3333 Cambridge St.; Paradise Park Community Center, 4770 S. Harrison Drive; Sunrise Community Center, 2240 Linn Lane and Von Tobel Community Center at 3610 East Carey Ave.

Grey said to use the computers, residents simply will be required to hand over some collateral to pick up a keyboard.

"They will probably ask for a driver's license or if you're a kid, maybe a shoe," she said, adding that there is a lock on the computer program to prevent children from exploring adult sites.

Grey said about 500,000 people visit the county's homepage each month. Clark County recently won a first-place award from the National Association of County Information Officers for its website. More than 500 jurisdictions entered the contest.