Background

The City of Mt. Vernon, Illinois has come a long way from its founding when there were only two ways into and out of the region and one of them involved crossing a swamp! Today, Mt. Vernon is a modern city with a thriving arts scene, numerous tourist destinations and a population of over 14,600 residents. Unfortunately, they are also a city with an aging out of date city website where even simple updates took loads of time, caused endless headaches, and hindered efficient communication with residents. The discovery of the Govstack Platform at the Illinois Municipal League (IML) conference sparked hope for a transformative change.

The challenge

The existing website infrastructure posed several challenges for Mt. Vernon. With cumbersome technology and a reliance on third-party assistance for even basic updates, the city was struggling with the timely dissemination of crucial information such as boil water alerts, which was critical for ensuring public safety and trust. The City needed a modern solution to streamline its digital presence. 

Solution

While at the IML conference, the city manager encountered Govstack, a comprehensive digital solution designed specifically for municipal needs. Recognizing its potential to address their challenges, the City decided to embark on a journey towards modernization.

The implementation process

The implementation process of Govstack proceeded remarkably smoothly. Despite initial difficulties with switching hosting services, the expert guidance provided by the GHD Digital implementation team ensured a seamless transition. This support was instrumental in overcoming technical hurdles and ensuring the successful integration of Govstack into the city’s infrastructure.

The new website has revolutionized the way we stay connected with our community. The key to this transformation is the innovative news feature. It seamlessly integrates with the CMS, making it easy to share vital information that fosters real-time engagement. By keeping residents informed and empowered, we’re building a stronger and more resilient community.

Nathan McKenna,

Assistant City Manager, Mt.Vernon

Key benefits

The adoption of Govstack has led to several benefits for Mt. Vernon and its residents, including:

• Timely Communication - Govstack has empowered Mt. Vernon to promptly notify residents about important matters such as boil water alerts, thus enhancing public safety and community trust.
• Ease of Content Management - The intuitive interface of Govstack has simplified content management tasks, offering flexibility in page design, and eliminating the previous challenges associated with image placement and formatting.
• Efficiency in Updates - With Govstack, the city administrator has experienced a significant reduction in the time and effort required to make updates to the website. Tasks that were once onerous have become streamlined and manageable.
• Enhanced User Experience - Residents of Mt. Vernon are now recipients of an improved website navigation experience, making it easier for them to access relevant information such as council meeting minutes and announcements.
• Social Media Integration - Govstack has facilitated seamless integration with social media platforms, enabling the city to engage with its residents more effectively and fostering stronger community involvement.

Conclusion

The adoption of the Govstack platform has been a pivotal moment in Mt. Vernon’s journey towards modernizing digital communications. By overcoming the challenges posed by an outdated website, the city was able to enhance its efficiency, improve resident engagement, and ensure timely dissemination of crucial information. With Govstack, Mt. Vernon has laid a solid foundation for building stronger connections with its citizens, fostering a thriving community in the digital age, and acquiring a platform and ecosystem that will continue to grow with the needs of both the  City and its citizens.