We have some helper methods. 

Suppose you have:

<add key="MyString" value="foo" />
<add key="MyBool" value="true" />
<add key="MyInt" value="12" />

using mojoPortal.Web.Framework;

string myString = ConfigHelper.GetStringProperty("MyString", "defaultToUseIfNotFound");

bool myBool = ConfigHelper.GetBoolProprty("MyBool", true);

int myInt = ConfigHelper.GetIntProperty("MyInt", -1);

In all cases the second param is a default value in case the setting is not found.

Hope that helps,

Joe