DES MOINES WELCOMES FREE WEB SITES FOR NEIGHBORHOOD GROUPS

DES MOINES, Iowa, February 26, 2001 - Mayor Preston Daniels and the Des Moines City Council today announced the introduction of an innovative new Internet project that will allow Des Moines neighborhood organizations an easy way to use the Internet to help strengthen the community. Neighborhood Link (www.neighborhoodlink.com), the Internet-based community network that enables metropolitan-area neighborhood associations to create their own free, interactive Web sites is now available to neighborhood associations and non-profit groups in Des Moines. The new service will be introduced to the community at the Council’s meeting on February 26, 2001. To view the site go the City of Des Moines Web site (www.ci.des-moines.ia.us) and click on the “Neighborhood Link”

“Des Moines is home to many community organizations such as neighborhood watches, block clubs, and neighborhood associations, making it a perfect fit for Neighborhood Link,” said Ted Pinkowitz, CEO of Neighborhood Link. “By connecting neighborhood with these types of community groups, Neighborhood Link becomes an effective tool to further civic communication and information distribution in the Des Moines community.”

Neighborhood Link is the second electronic government initiative implemented in Des Moines in less than two months. In January, the City provided the national launch of online services from Netgov.com. Netgov and Neighborhood Link have selected Des Moines as the first city to integrate services from both firms, providing a new level of electronic democracy and civic engagement. Neighborhood Link has also selected Des Moines as its model city for adding additional functions to its services.

“We often say that our neighborhoods are the backbone of our community,” said Mayor Preston Daniels. “We are very pleased to help make this new service available to our neighborhoods and community organizations as we move forward together in the new millennium. These new technology tools will help us in our continuing efforts to make Des Moines a special place to live and work,” Daniels added.

“The City has made great strides in its use of technology during the past few years said City Manger Eric Anderson. “It is especially pleasing to me to be involved in extending those efforts to our community. We look forward to working with our neighborhoods to make the best use of these services to enhance communication with and participation by our citizens in our emerging electronic democracy.”

“The opportunity to work with these two firms to develop new uses for technology in our community is exciting. This is another example of a public/private partnership bringing great benefit to our citizens and our community,” said Michael Armstrong, Information Technology Director for the City of Des Moines.

Neighborhood Link enables neighborhood associations and homeowners associations to establish and maintain their own Web sites quickly and easily by entering information into simple forms, which automatically and instantaneously create or modify Web pages. No knowledge of HTML or programming language is necessary. The service requires no payment by neighborhood organizations and no use of public funds.

Neighborhood Link (www.neighborhoodlink.com) is an Internet-based community network that enables neighborhoods in participating metropolitan areas to create their own free, interactive Web sites. Neighborhood Link, which launched in 1998, becomes fully integrated into communities through partnerships with local governments, neighborhood groups and community organizations, including public schools, libraries, police departments and community newspapers. Denver-based Neighborhood Link is currently deployed in 48 U.S. metropolitan regions, hundreds of cities and has more than 25,000 neighborhoods online. For more information about obtaining free neighborhood or clubs and organizations Web sites or about becoming a corporate sponsor, call toll-free at 1-888-241-0123.

For more information contact the City of Des Moines Public Information Office at 284-4795.

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