While some politicians are waiting for technology to evolve to them, others have boldly stepped into the digital age and have began to harness the connectivity of the internet to better serve their constituents.

One of my favourite City Councillor websites is that of Edmonton City Councillor Don Iveson (Ward 5). First elected in 2007 at the age of 29, Councillor Iveson boasted a great election website, complete with interactive multimedia, regularly updated content, and an excellent candidate blog. Since being elected, Don’s site has transformed into a running account (in blog format) of a week-to-week account of City Council, a sounding board for his decisions, and a place for Edmontonians to engage one of their councillors through back and forth discussions in the comment sections. (Of course, as I write this I notice that his site has not been updated in over 2 weeks!). He is also a regular tweeter.

Using Councillor Iveson’s site as a baseline, let’s take a look at what Saskatoon’s Councillors and Mayor have to offer to their constituents and City residents:

Ward 1 – Darren Hill – www.darrenhill.ca

The site is very well laid out, easy to navigate, and full of pictures. Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear to have been updated since the October 2009 Civic Election. However, Councillor Hill is the most active of his peers on Facebook (here), regularly seeking input and ideas from his followers. Additionally, he runs a very well subscribed email list with regular updates on Council agendas/decisions, city announcements, and public service announcements from fire and police.

Ward 2 – Pat Lorje – N/A

Councillor Lorje does not currently have an operational website or facebook page. However, she does have a regular email list that she uses to update subscribers were she adds her own viewpoints/insights on Council agendas and decisions.

Ward 3 – Maurice Neault – N/A

Councillor Neault does not currently have an operational website or facebook page. During the election he did have a static one-page website (www.mneault.ca), which has since been removed.

Ward 4 – Myles Heidt – www.mheidt.ca

Councillor Heidt has a static one-page website originally posted during the 2009 Civic Election. A quick glance shows that the site has remained unchanged since the election. Councillor Heidt does not maintain a facebook page.

Ward 5 – Gordon Wyant – www.gordonwyant.ca

The site is fairly well laid out and easy to navigate. However, the content remains fairly static, having not been updated since prior to the October 2009 Civic Election. The picture section includes a series of shots all taken in 2005, while the Council update section was last posted on Sept 29, 2009. Councillor Wyant does not maintain a facebook page.

Ward 6 – Charlie Clark – www.charlieclark.ca

Probably the best website of all Councillors for it’s intended content, design, layout, and navigability, the website suffers from sporadic updating (with the last update in early February). The same goes for Councillor Clark’s facebook page (here). Although, it seems he has acknowledged the static nature of that page by redirecting supporters to his website.

Ward 7 – Bob Pringle – N/A

Councillor Pringle does not have a website. He does maintain a facebook page (here); however, it appears to be his personal page that he has left accessible to everyone and not a politicians page.

Ward 8 – Glenn Penner- N/A

Councillor Penner does not maintain a website or facebook page.

Ward 9 – Tiffany Paulsen – www.tiffanypaulsen.ca

The site is fairly well laid out and easy to navigate. The last update appears to be from January 18, 2010, which consists of the generic decision summary released by the City Clerk’s office. A number of the links do not function (indicating it has not been updated since September 2009). The pictures page has some great shots, but also hasn’t been updated since September 2009. Councillor Paulsen also maintains a facebook page (here), which suffers from the same lack of updates as does her twitter feed.

Ward 10 – Bev Dubois – www.bevdubois.com

The site is well designed, easy to read and navigate and includes some nice features. However, the site has not been updated since shortly after the October 2009 Civic Election. Additionally, many of the City and School links are not functioning. On closer inspection, the City Council Decision section has been kept updated, although it only consists of the generic decision summary released by the City Clerk’s office. Councillor Dubois also maintains a politician’s facebook page (here) and a personal page (here) that has been left open to the public. Additionally, Councillor Dubois appears to be the most regular tweeter of her peers.

Mayor – Don Atchison – www.atchison.ca

The site only shows a static page with a large Thank-you, indicating it hasn’t been updated since shortly after the October 2009 Civic Election. The colour combination is horrible, with red and black giving it an ominous and uninviting look. A quick Google search shows that the full election website is still accessible (here), which continues the same dark colour scheme. Mayor Atchison also maintains a facebook page (here), which also has not been updated since the election.

Overall, a pretty meager serving from Saskatoon’s City Councillor’s and Mayor when it comes to an online presence. Four of 10 Councillors have no online presence, while all those with websites suffer from a lack of updated information, let alone any real form of visitor engagement. Of everyone, Councillor Hill has the highest profile, clinched by his regular facebook updates and effective emailing list.