CV Town Council new look keeps growing

The Crescenta Valley Town Council’s Internet web site is getting a new look, thanks to the spark in one new Council members’ eye. This one of many changes taking place within the council in the first weeks of Town Council President Steve Pierce’s reign.

Councilwoman Robbyn Battles unveiled a trial run of the council’s new web site at last Thursday night’s executive committee meeting at the Crescenta Valley Water District boardroom.

In addition to council information, the site allows one-click linkage to most everything related to the community, from school web sites to parks, county and state government, the Red Cross, community organizations and the Crescenta Valley Water District.

“Everything is designed to pull our community in,” Battles said, adding, “This just goes along with what Steve and I have said, ‘Let’s stop talking at people and start listening to what they say.’ We don’t want to inundate people but we want to make sure that people know we’re here and we want their input.”

The new site — which is expected to be up and running within the next few weeks — will be accessible through the current domain name, as well as through links from about a dozen alternative site names that the council pays for each year in order to avoid possible misuse of a site name that would reflect poorly on the council, and to make it easier for residents to find the council.

One major change on the new site is the community calendar, which will allow residents to post activities of a non-religious, non-political nature. The postings still need to be approved by a designated council calendar coordinator, but will be updated on a more regular basis so community members can tell what’s happening around town during a particular month with one click of the mouse.

Residents can post an event by filling out a form, which prompts an e-mail to the coordinator, and the calendar boxes expand to fit all events, Battles explained.

Councilwoman Danette Erickson expressed her excitement at being able to post this Saturday’s Crescenta Valley Woman’s Club rummage sale, assuming the site is online this week. That event is from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the club, 4004 La Crescenta Ave.

“If the calendar gets this good, I may just print it out and put it on my ‘fridge and that’s what I’ll live off each month,” Erickson said.

Also new for the web site is the ability for each council member to create and update their own committee web page. For example, Erickson’s committee, the Hometown Heroes Banners committee, will have information on each of the military service personnel honored locally. Erickson hopes that exposure will help promote the program, which currently has seven banners awaiting servicemen or women to be honored.

Friends and family of prospective honorees will be able to nominate hometown heroes through a form on the committee’s page. Eligible active military personnel must be either former Crescenta Valley High School graduates or residents of unincorporated La Crescenta or Montrose.

Councilman Steve Goldsworthy, who chairs the streets and roads committee, plans to have a form on his page that allows residents to voice local concerns and help plot the course for future fix-it ideas.

That page might come in handy for residents who want to advocate for changes, such as crosswalks, parking, street lights, or other perceived safety needs.

Council members Frank Beyt and Dennis van Bremen also were excited they will be able to better promote the council’s upcoming fundraisers, such as this month’s online auction, for YMCA memberships, which runs now through March on the site.

Although the council’s previous web site was useful to the community, and the council expressed gratitude to its videographer Danny Andrus, 16, for his volunteer help in maintaining that site, council members said the time is right for the myriad possibilities with the new site.

“Danny’s willing to keep doing it, but with his schedule … and, he’s going to be going off to college soon,” Pierce said, adding he’s delighted with the initiative the council’s newest members have taken in becoming an asset to the community.

“I would like to say, Ms. Battles, you have made a remarkable difference in this council in the short time you’ve been with us,” he said.