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City launches more online, cell phone services

BY JAMES GELUSO, Californian staff writer
jgeluso@bakersfield.com | Saturday, Oct 4 2008 12:00 PM

Last Updated: Monday, Oct 6 2008 7:45 AM

You can pay your bills, reserve a park or report a pothole on your home computer, on the city of Bakersfield Web site.

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WHAT YOU CAN DO ON THE CITY WEB PAGE:

• Check on building permits and business license renewals

• Pay sewer and garbage bills

• Check out which parks have what amenities and reserve a park

• Report a pothole or traffic signal problem

• Request used motor oil pickup

• Send a tip to the police about a warrant suspect

• Watch the last two city council meetings

WHAT YOU CAN DO ON THE CITY MOBILE WEB PAGE:

• Look up city phone numbers, and call directly from the page

• Call or e-mail your councilmember

• Call local agencies, such as the Chamber of Commerce and transit agencies

• Find a street

Photos:

Photo by Alex Horvath / The Californian

City of Bakersfield on the Web with cell phone access.

But it’s a much more limited Web site that makes city Webmaster Willy Sawyer most proud — a seven-page version designed for use on cell phones.

“Bakersfield is technologically ahead a lot more than people realize,” she said.

The mobile site includes a city department directory so users can click on — and dial — the phone number they need. Residents can even check the status of a building inspection from their phones.

And it has a Bakersfield street directory, complete with maps.

Sawyer said it’s quicker and more accurate than the commercial mapping sites because it’s only Bakersfield and it draws directly from the city’s mapping department. And yes, it does include streets that are in the metro area but not in the city limits.

The mobile site takes advantage of the growing popularity of powerful mobile phones — not just iPhones and BlackBerrys, but even regular phones that have Web browsers.

Younger residents especially are used to browsing the Web on their phones, and the city wants to serve them, Sawyer said.

And while the city has telephone systems for reporting potholes and reserving parks, some people just prefer to do it online, Sawyer said.

The city’s most popular page is the Police Department’s, where you can look at mug shots of the most wanted. After that the most popular is the jobs page and then Recreation and Parks.

“The busiest time is Thursday morning after a council meeting,” she said.