Carlton County has one. The city of Moose Lake has one. Esko and Thomson share one and even the towns of Carlton, Barnum, Wrenshall and Cromwell have one.
The city of Cloquet, however, does not.
What is it?
It's an official city Web site, and it's long overdue.
Fortunately, it's a sentiment with which Cloquet City Administrator Brian Fritsinger concurs.
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"It's been too long," he said Wednesday. "It's been part of discussions with the [Cloquet City] Council for three years."
Fritsinger said councilors and administrators got serious about it last November and have been working on its creation with the government and a designer who worked with St. Louis County.
Currently, the ball is in Fritsinger's court to provide feedback before a test site can be launched.
The launch keeps getting delayed, however, by more immediate needs such as restoring the Cloquet pond, the multitude of economic development projects and the lack of staff to tackle everything simultaneously. Fritsinger tried to hire someone in his department last year to assist with some of these projects, but had no qualified applicants, he said.
In the meantime, there is a makeshift Web site listing Cloquet services and city phone numbers, among other Cloquet-related information. It has nothing to do with the city of Cloquet, as its written disclaimer and Fritsinger clearly state.
"People tell me what they saw on the city's Web site, and I'm quick to tell them it's not affiliated with us," Fritsinger said.
Of course, when the alternative leaves people hanging in cyberspace, it's better than nothing.
The Cloquet Area Chamber of Commerce has a Web site, as does this newspaper. Most people can find plenty of Cloquet information through those channels. But a need for Cloquet to put forth its own site is essential in order to serve its residents, surrounding communities and those wishing to remain connected to the area.
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And stay connected, they do. A statewide estimate at the end of 2006 holds that 68.7 percent of all Minnesota households currently possess at least one working computer and 63.5 percent now maintain a home Internet connection, according to the Center for Rural Policy and Development, based in St. Peter, Minn.
Fritsinger admits with a staff made up mostly of people who've worked at the city for years, there are few in City Hall building who would venture to call themselves Internet-savvy.
"We're not exactly on the cutting-edge here," he said.
By the end of 2008, however, he said the site should be up and running, finally getting them on the band[width] wagon.
Lisa Baumann
