 | COLUMBUS CITY COUNCIL MEDIA RELEASE For Immediate Release: October 14, 2011 For More Information: John Ivanic, (614) 645-6798 |
City Council Increases Transparency with Launch of New Website
(Columbus)--In a continuing effort to improve the accessibility and transparency of city government, the Columbus City Council will soon launch an enhanced website that will allow users to more easily find helpful City Council information. This project, under development since 2008, will have its launch in the coming weeks and allow residents themselves to access City Council meetings, agendas, legislation with attachments, minutes, and other information in a timely, user friendly format from their computer, phone or tablet device without having to first contact City Council.
“This web site will allow City Council to better connect with our residents and share with them information about their government like never before,” said A. Troy Miller, chair of the Administration Committee. “This transparency is crucial and will lead to a more engaged and better educated public about the issues and policies that we deal with on an ongoing basis.”
The improvements to City Council’s current website are expected to be operational within two weeks and will feature the Insite program. Insite converts legislative information from Legistar, a tracking and information management system used by all city employees to write, process and approves thousands of pieces of legislation each year. When City Council chose to transition into electronic legislative tracking with Legistar in Columbus in 2003, it immediately increased communication and efficiency between city departments and paid for itself in three years and has saved approximately $500,000 thanks to in house publication of the City Bulletin and other process enhancements.
This improved component of our website is the latest in a long list of ways the City Council has adapted to the recent changes in the technology and communications habits of our residents. Council uses a multi-platform approach to communicate policies and initiatives with the public, including traditional media contacts in TV, print and radio; social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, e-mail news alerts and advisories, Columbus Television Channel 3, and the Call The Roll radio program, a half hour weekly show that airs on 91.5 FM and VOICEcorps. In addition to the increased outreach effort, City Council has placed a greater importance on one-on-one contact with area residents, which is why Councilmembers held a series of six community meetings this year in every section of the city to listen to neighborhood concerns.
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