Since the economic downturn that started in 2008, Island County’s commissioners have bemoaned an inability to fund an upgraded website and other new technologies.

And they aren’t alone, according to John Kent, the county’s information technology director.

He said the county is not nearly as behind as was his former employer, the Seattle Art Museum, when he started with them in 2003.

In that case, Kent said he had the opportunity to replace the museum’s technology virtually from scratch, including its phone systems, website and network wiring.

“If you want to know about being behind,” Kent said. “I’m your man.”

Though on a slightly smaller scale, Kent said he hopes to bring the same technological advances and efficiencies to Island County.

Completing his first year in that role in May, Kent is finally seeing some of his work and planning come to fruition.

Technology upgrades included in the 2015 budget included $180,000 in one-time money for website development and engineering, content migration, and updated data protection software and equipment. The county also allotted $239,000 in ongoing funding for increased Internet capacity, a data management system and a SharePoint developer position. Kent is also in the process of hiring a database developer.

When he first came to Island County, Kent said his first priority was to “get an understanding of where we are” and dig into existing studies and background materials.

He said he relied heavily on feedback from the county’s technology strategy team, currently headed by Commissioner Jill Johnson.

“The technology at Island County is basically duct-taped together,” Johnson said. “It’s been a low priority for a long time. We tend to put money into personnel.”

However, Johnson said that the lack of technological upgrades has had a detrimental effect on how constituents interact with the county.

“It has an external citizen impact,” Johnson said. “People live their lives online, and we need to be able to deliver our services online. We’re just going to have to invest in technology and make it a priority for a while.”

The design phase began with a revamp of the county’s website. Kent said he will be seeking volunteers to test out elements of the site from home as part of the process.

Designed within intranet software SharePoint, the new county website will allow each department to independently control their web pages, allowing them to be “more current more quickly,” Kent said.

The new website will include an opportunity for residents to fill out forms and make payments online, making it easier for far-flung residents — such as in Clinton or on Camano Island — to do business with the county.

“The idea is to open it up,” Kent said. “As soon as they submit it, it would be available to the department and they can start acting on it.”

Island County’s storage capabilities were also expanded, the phone systems will be upgraded and speed of the county’s Internet will be increased, allowing the county to use cloud technology.

Anyone interested in volunteering to test the county’s website as they move forward with its redesign can contact the county’s department of Central Services at 360-679-7305.