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A Couple of Good Local Government Approaches to Transparency and Citizen Feedback
Monday, June 30th, 2008
Robert Wechsler
The Internet provides all sorts of opportunities for both transparency
and citizen feedback. One way, which I pointed out recently,
is for local government officials to have blogs that allow them to
present their news and views, and allow citizens to respond and ask
questions.
Two other approaches have just been taken by towns near where I live.
Click here to read the rest of this blog entry.
To get feedback, one town surveyed its citizens. This was done both on paper and online, by East Haven, CT. Surveys were included with property tax bills, a gutsy time to ask, since no one likes to get a tax bill. Unfortunately, the questionnaire does not go beyond the level of "Am I doing a good job?" For those interested in doing more useful online surveys, check out surveymonkey.com, which is the survey software that East Haven used.
To provide transparency, another town, Derby, started an online question-and-answer session, Ask City Hall. What's especially good about this approach is that various officials answer the various questions. It's not an ego trip, all about the mayor or city manager. It seems to be a sincere way of answering individuals' questions so that everyone can profit. Not only does this provide transparency, but it also increases efficiency by making it less likely that people will keep calling with the same question.
Right now, there are few and varied questions. Soon, I hope that Derby's government will organize the questions and answers by topic or department, with a search mechanism, so that people can find them easily.
Note that Derby's website is part of a regional website, Electronic Valley (the Naugatuck River Valley), making a good website more affordable to the seven towns. Another good idea.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
Two other approaches have just been taken by towns near where I live.
Click here to read the rest of this blog entry.
To get feedback, one town surveyed its citizens. This was done both on paper and online, by East Haven, CT. Surveys were included with property tax bills, a gutsy time to ask, since no one likes to get a tax bill. Unfortunately, the questionnaire does not go beyond the level of "Am I doing a good job?" For those interested in doing more useful online surveys, check out surveymonkey.com, which is the survey software that East Haven used.
To provide transparency, another town, Derby, started an online question-and-answer session, Ask City Hall. What's especially good about this approach is that various officials answer the various questions. It's not an ego trip, all about the mayor or city manager. It seems to be a sincere way of answering individuals' questions so that everyone can profit. Not only does this provide transparency, but it also increases efficiency by making it less likely that people will keep calling with the same question.
Right now, there are few and varied questions. Soon, I hope that Derby's government will organize the questions and answers by topic or department, with a search mechanism, so that people can find them easily.
Note that Derby's website is part of a regional website, Electronic Valley (the Naugatuck River Valley), making a good website more affordable to the seven towns. Another good idea.
Robert Wechsler
Director of Research-Retired, City Ethics
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