BRUNSWICK — Freeport officials are looking to a Web-based discussion platform to create a “virtual town hall,” in which residents with an Internet connection can join in the conversation.

The website, at www.freeporttalks.org, was officially launched in a presentation Tuesday morning, making Freeport the first municipality in northern New England to employ the technology, according to town staff.

Freeport will join cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Kansas City in creating such an online discussion board for residents, according to a press release from the town.

On Tuesday, Town Planner Donna Larson led an audience of approximately 30 people at the town hall through the basic functions of the site, which centers around poll questions on which users can vote and add detail to those responses with comments.

Those questions will rotate occasionally, District 1 Councilor Sara Gideon said, and town councilors and municipal staff will begin to consider that input in carrying out town business.

On Tuesday, the top poll on the site asked residents their opinions on selling naming rights to community parks and recreation areas if the revenue went to support park maintenance and improvements.

The site also will let users submit ideas, Larson said, which will go live on the site for others to add comments and for consideration as ideas or poll questions featured on the home page.

Currently, Larson said she is the only administrator for the site and will moderate online interaction when needed. One layer of moderation of comments and ideas is automatic, Larson said, with posts containing profanity and particular words being flagged for moderation by a site administrator.

District 3 Councilor Kristina Egan said that councilors will refer to the site regularly to gain input from residents who might not otherwise be able to attend council meetings to share their ideas.

So far, Larson said the town has not committed to a contract with MindMixer for the software and is using it on a trial basis until a new municipal budget is crafted and councilors are faced with a choice of whether to license the software for a year at a cost of $7,500, for two years at $12,000 or not at all.

In the coming weeks, Larson said the town will distribute around 100 posters and business cards advertising the website around town.

To sign up, Larson said, users need only to provide an email and password. Larson said that the town will not have access to individual email addresses that are stored with the software company.

For more information, visit www.freeporttalks.org.

[email protected]