County hoping new website helps spur economic development

by MBJ Staff

Published: July 27,2012

Tags: college, county, county govertnment, economic development, education, higher education, Internet, job, job creation, university, website

OKTIBBEHA COUNTY — A new Oktibbeha County website developed by a Mississippi State University research center will better connect citizens with their county government, and also serve as a “business card” for local economic development efforts.

The university center’s director said the project “is the beginning of a new way for Oktibbeha County to work.

“It connects citizens with their county government, and gives them easy access to important information,” added Domenico “Mimmo” Parisi, director of the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center. “We believe the site will promote participatory democracy for our community.”

The features of the new website — www.oktibbehacountyms.org — include information about county services, maps of county districts and facilities; access to up-to-the-minute communication, enabling county officials to publish real-time announcements, news and weather alerts; and, a comprehensive list of elected and appointed officials.

Parisi said the website is designed to serve as an external and internal communication tool, with each county department having access to manage its own content. It also will be critical for economic development purposes, he emphasized.

“The site serves as a ‘business card’; prospective businesses and economic developers can quickly see what the county has to offer,” he explained. “It will be a great marketing tool for our community.”