National Association of Counties * Washington, D.C.            Vol. 32, No. 12 * June 26, 2000

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Many firms monitor employee Web, e-mail
More and more major U.S. firms are monitoring their employees’ communications, a recent survey by the American Management Association finds.
Nearly 75 percent of U.S. firms keep a close eye on workers. For instance, 54 percent track Internet connections; 38 percent review e-mail.
More than half the firms surveyed use software to block phone calls to unauthorized numbers. About 30 percent of firms using blocking software for Web surfers.
For more information, go to www.amanet.org/index.htm.

Nebraska association building Web site
The value of the Web hasn’t been lost on the Nebraska Association of County Officials. The organization recently developed a Web presence at www.nacone.org.
“The Internet offers boundless potential in promoting the work of county government,” Jack Mills, NACO executive director said in the May issue of the organization’s Countyline magazine.
If you surf to the site, wear a hardhat. It’s still under construction.

Fire dispatch site draws a crowd in Calif.
The fire department in San Mateo County, Calif. is developing a following on the Internet. The county is logging more than 1 million hits a month at www.firedispatch.com.
People are surfing to the site to see information about fire and medical calls the department receives. The site includes maps of the emergency location and information about each fire station.
Already Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties want to use the site, as well. Firedispatch.com is run by Daryl Jones. He provides the service for free, hoping to eventually recoup the “six figure” expense through advertising.
That raises some sticky issues with county officials, who don’t want to be seen as profiting from the human misery of 9-1-1 calls. Any plan for paid advertising will have to withstand vigorous scrutiny, they vow.

e-philanthropy available for Head Start programs
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Free to Grow national demonstration program will provide support to a diversity of urban, rural, and suburban Head Start sites to adapt and evaluate four distinctive substance abuse prevention models.
This program will award $4 million in matching grants averaging $200,000 per site over four years ($50,000 per year) to up to 20 Head Start agencies. All grants must be matched dollar for dollar by local sources. Preference will be given to Head Start programs that are linked to larger organizations, such as community action programs, settlement houses, or school systems. The deadline for receipt of letters of intent is August 15, 2000.
For an abstract or the full text of the Call for Proposals, visit The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Web site at www.rwjf.org. Once at the site, click on “Applying for a Grant,” then “List of Open Calls for Proposals.”
Web Watch is compiled by Kevin Wilcox, senior writer. If you have some news for this column, e-mail it to kwilcox@naco.org, or fax it to 202/393-2630.

(Web Watch is compiled by Kevin Wilcox, senior staff writer. Email your Web Watch tips to kwilcox@naco.org)