Navigating a local government’s website can be an exercise in futility, with non-functional links and outdated information contributing to the byzantine feel.  Although this may be the norm with some municipalities, the Village of Larchmont recently revamped and upgraded their website to make the search less about fumbling and more about finding information quickly and efficiently. 

“It needed to be updated,” said Larchmont Mayor Josh Mandell about the change.  “It’s a sign of the times—the old website was slow and had some latencies.”

Working in-house, Village Clerk Eileen Finn and two members of the Technology Committee, Paula Eisenberg and Rosita Fichtel, designed and upgraded the site from a more basic HTML version to the new version.

“It has a fresher look and it’s easier to navigate and find various pieces of information,” said Mandell. 

The new website here has simplified search options to eight main categories listed on the top of the page.  From these categories, one can search through a number of subcategories to find everything from government officials to local history such as the origin of street names in the village.

Some of the more interesting categories include:

1. Our Community - Do I live in the village or town? (subcategory) – This feature allows you to search by street names to determine whether you reside in the Village of Larchmont or Town of Mamaroneck. 
2. Services - Forms Center (subcategory) – From building and parking permits to tax grievance forms and sidewalk café applications, all pertinent information is listed in one place.
3. How Do I? – Apply for, Pay (subcategories)-Answers to commonly asked questions such as how do I grieve my taxes or register to vote.
4. Parking – Parking lot maps (subcategory)– A comprehensive list of all the public parking lots in the village with hours of operation as well as fee/permit requirements are listed.
5. Services - A list of services available to village residents, some of which are shared between the town and village.