Dunn County CRT pleased with prototype of tourism website
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By LeAnn R. Ralph
MENOMONIE — They like what they see.
Members of the Dunn County Community Resources and Tourism Committee expressed their approval of a prototype tourism website presented at the the October 11 meeting.
The website, titled “Visit Dunn County,” is being developed by Your Web Choice.
Jim Zons, county board supervisor from Colfax, a member of the CRT committee and the owner of EZ New Media, presented the prototype website.
The picture on the main page of the website is of the Devil’s Punch Bowl, although the plan is to have rotating pictures of Dunn County scenes, Zons said.
The website has tabs across the top for “events,” “things to do,” “communities” (which will include links to community websites), “industry,” “resources” and a “submit events” link for the calendar, he said.
“We’re All About Dunn County” is across the bottom of the website with another link to submit events.
Tags for Instagram (#FuninDunn) can be used as a way to feature photographs from events in communities, Zons said.
“I like what I see,” he said, adding that the website “grabs attention and is easy to navigate.”
The proposed website is a design that will not require much maintenance after it is set up, Zons noted.
Larry Bjork, county board supervisor from Menomonie and a member of CRT committee, suggested a link where people could submit photographs from events in Dunn County, such as the Dunn County Fair.
Ann Vogl, county board supervisor from Menomonie and a member of the CRT committee, suggested links for restaurants and places to stay in Dunn County.
The suggestions from Bjork and Vogl “are the kind of feedback that’s needed,” Zons said.
Tom Quinn, county board supervisor from Downing and a member of CRT committee, said the prototype website “is terrific” and “better than I had hoped for.”
Are the events limited only to Dunn County, or what about events just outside of Dunn County that may draw Dunn County residents, such as events in Prairie Farm? Quinn asked.
The CRT committee sets the criteria, and if committee members would like events and places just outside of Dunn County, then those will be included, Zons said.
Eau Galle is in Dunn County, but the Eau Galle Cheese Factory is outside of Dunn County, noted James Anderson, county board supervisor from Menomonie and chair of the CRT committee.
David Bartlett, county board supervisor from Boyceville and chair of the Dunn County Board, said he was pleased with the prototype.
While Anderson had mentioned having the website as an agenda item for approval at the next meeting, Bartlett pointed out that the CRT committee had voted to move forward with a tourism website at a previous meeting and did not need to take additional action.
One action item that might be needed would relate to using Dunn County’s Facebook page to solicit information and photographs for the website, Zons said.
Dunn County’s Facebook page is not part of the Community Resources and Tourism committee’s area of oversight, Zons said.
The idea of using Dunn County’s Facebook page to gather information for the tourism website should be discussed with the Information Technology department, and then the policy information should be brought back to the CRT committee, Bartlett said.
The CRT committee wants to work with “everybody in Dunn County” to add content to the tourism website and is especially interested in events and businesses in the villages and townships, Anderson said.
Anderson asked the members of the CRT committee to think about other categories for information to be included on the website and to think about places and events in the county.
“We’re all in this together … all of our communities,” he said.
