DANVILLE – Vermilion County residents with access to the Internet now have a direct line to the Vermilion County Board office to make comments, "good and bad."

The county last week launched a new Web page where public comments pertaining to county business can be posted for officials to read.

"It's something we are just trying. If people are respectful, it could be a good tool to get input, good and bad, on county issues," said Vermilion County Board Chairman Jim McMahon.

Ted Fisher, director of the county's information systems department, launched the online forum last week on the county Web site at http://www.co.vermilion.il.us.

McMahon said he has viewed other public forums, and he realizes that comments can be negative, even slanderous. People who post comments are not required to give their names, and many use "screen names," which McMahon believes is a weakness of online forums.

But he still believes it's a tool that can be of benefit to county officials. He plans to check the site on a regular basis, searching for valuable input.

Vermilion County Board member Bill Donahue, D-District 7, said he also will check the forum regularly.

"I will be curious, and hopefully, we will not get just negative comments but requests for assistance that give us an idea of what we can do to be of better service," he said. "Some people might be more willing to post a comment rather than make a phone call or write a letter."

County officials want feedback on any type of county business, issue, meeting or agenda item. But "we want to keep ours to county business only," he said.

The county's Information Systems department will monitor all comments that are posted.

"We are going to try to monitor ours cautiously and give people the chance to speak up but not to be mean or hateful. If they give us criticism with respect, then their comments will be honored and read by so many more people," he said. "But if it ends up as just a slashing tool that doesn't help our community, then it will fade away."

The public still would have online access to board members even if the forum were not continued. The board members have county e-mail addresses that are being added to the county Web site, allowing anyone to log on, click on a specific board member's e-mail address and send that person comments.

Donahue, who works for the city of Danville, said the city has made good use of the e-mail system that is available to the public through its Web site, allowing citizens to send comments to city officials, including aldermen.

"The city has made it a really responsive tool, and I think the county can do the same," Donahue said. "It's better to know what people are thinking than not."

Finding the forum

Go to the Vermilion County Web site at http://www.co.vermilion.il.us and click on "Vermilion County Forum Web Page" on the left side of the screen.

To e-mail individual county board members, go to the county's Web site, click on the button labeled "County Board" on the left side of the screen, then click on "Board Members" for a list of names and e-mail addresses.

Some forum rules:

– Anyone wanting to post a comment must first register.

– Any offensive posts and member profiles can be removed by the system administrator without prior notice, and the system administrator has the right to ban anyone who willfully violates the forum rules.

– Spam is not tolerated.

– While debating and discussion is fine, rudeness, insulting posts, personal attacks or purposeless inflammatory posts will not be tolerated.

– Posts of a sexual nature or that violate community standards are not allowed. The forum administration shall be the sole arbitrator of what does and what does not violate community standards.

– Discussions of illegal activities are not allowed.

– Each member is allowed one login account. Registering with multiple accounts is not allowed.

– The forum is not a marketplace, and "For Sale," "Wanted," and "Trade" ads are not allowed.

– Advertisements or notices for contests are not allowed.