Marlboro and Colts Neck Websites Not Awarded in Monmouth Study

Marlboro and Colts Neck Townships received no recognition for their municipal websites, according to a Monmouth University study performed by the school’s Polling Institute and its Graduate Program in Public Policy.

Marlboro Township ranked 95 out of 540 rated websites, while Colts Neck ranked 175.

The study, which graded 540 municipal websites for features such as citizen interaction and the use of social media, named Middletown as its overall winner.

Using codes for the amount of information, student teams then assessed each website for its ease of use. Students gauged how long it took to find certain information on a website, including the municipal budget and trash/recycling information.

By law, municipalities must have updated budget information on its website.

Marlboro Township's budget is located by visiting the "Documents" tab from the front page, then selecting "financial documents."

Colts Neck's budget takes one more step, by visiting the "info" tab on the front page, then "documents", then "budgets."

In both townships, paying property taxes online is available as well as clear calendars of municipal meetins and events. 

Marlboro recently revamped its website, adding online taxpaying and a comprehensive front page often used for emergency alerts.

Tell us: do you think your municipal website is easy to use and provides the information you're looking for?