Revamped Verona Website Meets 21st Century

The new Verona Township website has been live for almost a month and the verdict is in — positive feedback all around.

The new site, vernonanj.org, was designed with ease, up-to-the-minute notifications and mobile device compatibility in mind, according to Program Coordinator Steve Neale of the township Recreation Department. 

Neale said his job is to manage and post information to the site, as well as remove old or outdated posts. 

“We’ve received a lot of positive feedback about (the new site),” said Neale. “It’s so much easier to use now, easier to navigate.” 

The need for a better site with new and reliable hardware backing it up became dreadfully apparent after the snow and ice storms last October knocked out service in a freak storm. That situation left the township in a bad position when it came to keeping the public informed. 

A backup server will now allow the site to be accessed in case an emergency knocks out power to the library, where the main server is housed. 

“The big thing for this (new site) is we wanted to make sure it is going to be available if something like that happens again,” Neale said. 

Mayor Frank Sapienza said there was a serious need to revamp the site. 

At the July 16 meeting, where the council presented the new site with the help of designers from Verona-based Muse Marketing, Sapienza said building confidence in the new website is crucial. 

“That is our next challenge,” he said.