From the Northwest Indiana Times:
Portage Clerk-Treasurer Chris Stidham has begun what other municipal clerks should be doing — putting city records from the past four years online so they're more accessible to the public.
The website for the clerk-treasurer's office includes financial reports, fee schedules and newly approved ordinances and resolutions.
Also on the the website are appropriations reports, fund reports, revenue reports and claim dockets presented twice a month to the Board of Works.
"This shows every check written by the city and can give a quick snapshot of spending," Stidham said.
That's the kind of information residents will find useful if they want to question where their tax money is going.
Claims handled by the Redevelopment Commission and Park Board will be added as well, along with vendor reports that reveal everyone who has received a check from the city — except employees.
Stidham said posting all this information online serves two purposes: convenience for the public and convenience for his staff.
"Every time someone requests the documents, we have to spend time gathering the information, printing it, sometimes mailing it," he said.
A side benefit for the city, Stidham believes, will be fewer visits and calls to the clerk-treasurer's office seeking that information. That's good. Use that extra time to put even more information online.
The Indiana Transparency Portal offers comprehensive data for state government and is beginning to offer local government information as well.
That's what government needs to be like in the 21st century. Public access to government should be available at the click of a mouse, not just a visit to a government office.
Welcome to Government 2.0.
Now make this happen at all units of local government in Northwest Indiana.
http://www.nwitimes.com/news/opinion/editorial/editorial-portage-official-makes-public-access-click/article_4cc5e8e6-dd90-588c-9465-7f925547863c.html
