Neighborhood America Makes Public Involvement Easier in the State of Florida

November 15, 2006 - Neighborhood America's work with the Florida Department of Community Affairs ("DCA") has paved the way for all Florida agencies to more easily engage citizens and constructively allow the public's voice to be included in their decisions.

Under direction from the DCA, the newly-formed Century Commission has started work to develop plans that support the growth of sustainable communities within Florida. The Commission has adopted the IBM - Neighborhood America Public Comment Service to help it create a vision that is inclusive of all citizens and stakeholders.

The IBM - Neighborhood America solution will enable the diverse and geographically dispersed Century Commission members to collaborate online, regardless of work hours or location. Additionally, the solution will help the Commission to easily manage public outreach efforts and will provide citizens with the opportunity to remain educated and continuously involved.

"Public Comment Service greatly enhances traditional approaches to public involvement," stated Dan Bevarly, Senior Director of Neighborhood America's Market Relations and Business Development. "There are many barriers to citizen's participation in public meetings and forums, but the Web effectively works to eliminate many of those barriers. The end result is more inclusive and constructive public comment, which in turn enables our elected officials to make more informed decisions."

Neighborhood America's solution is ideally suited for use in government because it is delivered through a Software as a Service model and therefore allows agencies to purchase what they need - when they need it. Since the proven solution is already built, agencies have access to advanced technology without investing in hardware, additional software or IT resources. With Internet access and a Web browser, team members can collaborate - and citizens can participate - from anywhere, at anytime.

For additional information on procuring Public Comment Service, contact Dan Bevarly at (239) 591-6815. Visit Neighborhood America online at www.NeighborhoodAmerica.com to learn more about the company.