Until now, residents of Purvis and Lumberton have never had an official city website to visit, and although Sumrall does offer one, it’s a little outdated.
But that’s about to change, as officials in those three Lamar County cities are currently working to establish or update web pages to help give residents easy access to digital city information.
Purvis City Clerk Sheila Speights said her staff has been gathering resources to build a page, including pictures and other information, and she hopes to have it ready to go in the next two or three months. Although the site won’t offer online payments at first, Speights hopes to add that feature shortly after the site goes online.
“We’ve got to get it up and get it running, and then maybe later we’ll do a little bit at a time,” she said. “We’ve got to get it arranged right. We’re not going to do online payments at first, but in the future we probably will.”
Lumberton Mayor Quincy Rogers said he has talked to several residents about the need for a website, and his staff is working to set up a site that would offer online bill payments, access to agendas for the Lumberton Board of Aldermen and board meeting minutes.
“We’ve heard lots of feedback in reference to a website, and we’re working now to try to get one set up,” he said. “I’m hoping within the next month or so to at least be 50 to 60 percent complete with the website.
“I know it’s not an overnight thing, but I’m hoping by mid-January that we should be well on the way with having one set up.”
Sumrall’s website, www.townofsumrall.ms.gov, has bee established for several years and offers information on the city’s history, as well as access to garage sale permits, building permits, privilege licenses, water and garbage applications, and parade permits. Much of the site’s contact information, however – including names and contacts for several city officials – is out of date.
In addition, several of the tabs on the website, including those for Town Calendar, News/Notes and Maps, are blank or empty.
“I’ve got a lady who is about to get to work on that, and we’re going to update it and make it look real good here soon,” Mayor Heath Sumrall said. “I hope after the first of the year it’ll be ready.
Residents will have access to the aforementioned information as well as items such as meeting agendas, but online bill payment won’t be offered at first.
“We’re still trying to get advanced enough to do that,” Sumrall said. “It’s just that everything’s been so primitive around here, that none of that’s up to date yet.
“So we’re working on it, because it’s kind of boring. We want something that’s more attractive and updates all the information too. So we’ll get that going.”
Hattiesburg’s website is available at www.cityofhattiesburgms.com, and Petal’s website can be found at www.cityofpetal.com. Both sites offer online bill payment, access to agenda meetings and calendar events, along with other information.
