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Open and Transparent Government. Why Website Usage Assists. Is There A Problem?. Why do this? What's the Precedent? “At Internet speed” We have become an online society (over 50% broadband adoption [ Ars Technica ] What's the Question? How does my account look? (corporate sites)
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Open and Transparent Government Why Website Usage Assists
Is There A Problem? • Why do this? What's the Precedent? • “At Internet speed” • We have become an online society (over 50% broadband adoption [Ars Technica] • What's the Question? • How does my account look? (corporate sites) • How can I pay my bill(s)? • Where's my information? (consumer sites) • Who is thinking what? (opinion sites) • I just want to talk (forums)
Effect on Government? • Expectations are now “all online” • Need to be sensitive to its “customers” • Taxpayers want to see information at their fingertips • When other sites display similar information, people ask “why not us?”
Main Questions (and Answers) • What is going on? • Announcements • Agendas • Minutes • How much is it going to cost me? • Overall budgets • Departmental budgets • Where is my money going? • Budget status • Check Registers / Manifests • Collective bargaining agreements
Is There A Standard? (1/2) Sunshine Review - 10 Point Checklist The Website should include: • Budget: current and past budgets. Graphs showing trends help • Meeting agendas / minutes • Elected officials: names and contact information • Administrators: names of key administrators and contact information • Checkbook Register • Vendor contracts
Is There A Standard? (2/2) • Right To Know - How and where to file: contact information of the person who is in charge. • Assets: latest audited statement of assets owned by the municipality and liabilities against those assets. • Taxpayer-funded lobbying disclosure statement: If the unit of government belongs to any lobbying associations that it helps to fund by paying association or membership dues, that information should be disclosed on the government unit's website. • Election information: how candidates gain access to the ballot, when elections are held, et al
How Does Gilford Rate? Sunshine Review: • Town of Gilford - Sunshine Review • Gilford SAU
Examples • Rochester, NH - Budget, Wages • Gerrish Township - check register • City of Nogales, AZ - check register • Round Rock ISD - Financials • State of Kansas - KanView
How Hard Is It? • Source for a document • Decide its ultimate format • PDF • EXCEL • TXT • Decide where it should reside on the website • Move it • Publish it Demo time!