I believe I've mentioned a couple of these things before, but I think it's time to reiterate them, as we are winding down the interim city manager, and should be close to getting our next city manager. Now part of these pet peeves is because I'm an IT guy, and know how easy some of this technology is to implement. Part of it is because of the pain I know it is to obtain information sometimes about our city.
And before I go on, I'm not saying any of this is standards any other city uses. Honestly I don't know one way or another. But I'm saying they are standards that are readily available to us that many industries are using to assist in their issues of getting information to those that use it.
So first is an RSS feed. This is a way that the city would passively notify anyone who was interested in keeping up with meeting notifications. By law the city must notify us when they are going to have a meeting. They do this by letting newspapers and radio stations know, and in our case they also put it on the city website.
If you choose, you can go to the website every night and know what meetings were posted. What an RSS feed would do is allow me to be notified when the website is updated. How? My computer knows that I want to watch the city's page, and every time I go online it will check to see if there have been any changes made and if so let me know. There are many of you (over 200) that have RSS feeds tied to this blog. It would work the same way. I wouldn't have to go to the website to see if anything has changed, and yet as soon as it does, I know I can go check it out. This is inexpensive to set up, and honestly you would use existing code to update the website.
Second thing I would like to see is documentation put into electronic format for the public. What the heck am I talking about? Have you ever noticed the books that our councilmen carry to the meetings? These are documents of information given to the councilmen so that they can make informed decisions. The news medias also receive these packages approximately 72 hours before the meetings.
Now to print these documents are something. They are nothing shy of small books at times, and when things like the budget get put in them, they are large books. You may request a copy and pay a small fortune for them, but honestly, why would anyone want to waste that much paper?
It would take nothing for the city to 'publish' these documents in pdf format and place them on the city website up with the notification of a meeting. Why should they do this? Well to start with its nothing that's suppose to be hidden in the first place, all open for public dissemination. The 'Freedom of Information Act' insured that. Second it would eliminate a lot of questions the public has as to why some things have happened. After looking at some of the information presented to the councilmen over the last year I know why they decided some things, even though I think had I realized that's what they were looking at I might have been able to shine some light not in those little booklets.
Want to know what's happening on GEDC? Board of Adjustments? City Council? These 2 very readily available technologies, would make those available to the public. I'm almost certain that we already own and use the technology to scan and put documents to PDF, as most current copiers do this. And our website would take a minimal of adjustments to make it RSS Feed capable.
God Bless,
Dennis Nesser
Sorry, I disagree. The city needs to worry about running the city, not if you are inconvienced having to look at the website.
ReplyDeleteJust a simple fix would make everything easier on the website and for the citizens to be fully informed on decision being made by our council! Would love to see more than the one page agendas they have posted now.
ReplyDelete"Just a simple fix would make everything easier on the website and for the citizens to be fully informed on decision being made by our council! Would love to see more than the one page agendas they have posted now."
ReplyDeleteThe city council agenda used to be posted in detail giving good information about what was to be discussed.
This stopped about a year or two ago.
I didn't go to council meetings prior to Mr. Huseman being our city manager, so I can't speak to what was there prior, but as was mentioned, we do not get any information other than a line item title. Not much for us to go on, hence my desire to see more information 'published' to the public. Think of the time it would save city employees researching, or copying this information for FOIA request if it was available to everyone online.
ReplyDeleteBill, while I will agree it's not our top priority, we will agree to disagree on whether or not it has merit. But in this great country of ours we can agree to disagree on things like this. Isn't it a great land we live in?
God Bless,
Dennis Nesser
Yeah, Dennis, we will have to disagree to disagree, but I didn't say your suggestion didn't have merit, just that the focus of the city needs to be on TCB. And yes it's a great country.
ReplyDeleteThis RSS feed thingy, do you know how to set it up? How about offering your services to the city, pro bono? Might just smooth over some perceived opinions.
Dennis...did you ever get an explaination of why the public comments were moved to the beginning of the council meetings?
ReplyDeleteThe only 'reason' I got was that people could talk about what was coming up on the agenda and leave.
ReplyDeleteReally? You are concerned enough to show up for a meeting and can't wait 30-45 minutes?
So no, no real reason.
Bill - as for the RSS feed, I created one for the city today. It took less than 20 minutes. and I put it on one of my servers. I'm not going to keep it updated, so I'm not going to publish it, but the file is created.
ReplyDeleteI could make the couple of modifications to put on their server, and teach them how to use it (would take about 60 seconds to learn). Whoever is updating the website already could do it and it wouldn't take them but a minute extra.
So yes, I'd be willing to give it to the city if they'd like.
Dennis
I have extended your offer to two city council members. We shall see if they are interested. Thank you Dennis, that is taking the city a step in the right direction.
ReplyDeleteDennis...I got a reply from one council member. He replied anything that would help keep the public updated should be considered.
ReplyDeleteYou can have it send out emails when updates come. Its that simple.
ReplyDeleteThe problems with send out emails is that one to keep up with the laws you have to have a double opt system and someone managing the request for removals. While it could be semi automated it would would be somewhat of a hassle.
ReplyDeleteI also don't know if the city owns their own email server, if it's integrated to the domain they are in, or if it's a pop mail account. Makes a big difference when you talk about emailing mass amounts.
You also run the risk of getting on blacklistings and having the entire city email blocked because of these.
OR you pay for someone else to handle all the opt-ins and list managements etc. But that cost money, the one thing I wouldn't want to add to our budget.
Nice thought, just doesn't work that way.
Dennis
Still waiting for that call from the city...
ReplyDelete