The 2007 E-Government Award was given to Groton as well as other area towns such as Harvard and Dunstable by Common Cause Massachusetts, "a nonpartisan, nonprofit, government watchdog, dedicated to citizen participation in an open, honest and accountable government."
"We are pleased to be able to honor so many towns this year," said Common Cause Executive Director Pam Wilmot in a prepared statement. "Many communities rose to the challenge and significantly improved their Web sites over the past year."
Common Cause launched the Massachusetts Campaign For Open Government last year. At that time, only 24 communities met the campaign's standards and posted key governance records, which were defined as: The community governing body's agenda, the governing body's minutes, fiscal year 2007 budget information, the municipality's bylaws, code or ordinances, and if applicable, town meeting warrant, and town meeting results or minutes.
In September 2006, the number increased to 40 municipalities, or about 11 percent of all 351 cities and towns. With the current audit, the number jumped to 72, triple the original number. The municipalities honored for posting all of the targeted records range in size from Pelham, with a population of 1,422, to Boston, with a population of 569,165.
According to interim town administrator Jeffrey Ritter, Groton's Web site was launched around 2000 and was designed and is maintained by David Hill.
"The foundation of our democracy is built on public access to information about our government," noted Karla de Steuben, a Common Cause board member and founder of the project. "The easier it is to obtain key information, the more likely it is that people will have the tools necessary to effectively participate in government and hold our elected leaders accountable."
"I think that it's a great thing for Groton," said Ritter of the town's receiving the award. "I think it shows that technologically we're a forward-looking town and that we keep up with trends and maintaining our technology is something we take seriously.
+ "Groton was one of 41 communities that were selected by Massachusetts Common Cause as being one of the foremost transparent communities in the commonwealth," said Ritter. "It was absolutely a compliment to the town. To the extent that we have opened up the decision-making process and improved participatory government based on good communication, the community is better off."
Those in local government most closely involved with the town's Web site are agreed that its coming has been a great boon to the community.
"Clearly, the Internet has revolutionized the way town governments conducts business and the way they communicate with citizens," said Ritter, a member of the town's Information Technology Committee. "Now, when we want to send a message to residents, it's generally posted to the front page of the town's Web site, be it a notice about Lyme disease or town reports. It all helps to facilitate understanding and builds a sense of community."
"The Internet is important for governments to get information out to people," agreed Information Technology Committee Chairman Jeff Pike. "Through the Internet, information can be made widely available from a central point. It makes it easy to disseminate information and disperse it, making it freely available to all citizens.
"I'm a supporter of transparency in government," Pike said. "The more easily available information is, the more transparent government can be. It helps people to see how government works and to interact with it."
"Of course, there are some exceptions to what information governments should post online such as whether the town may be involved in particular cases of litigation," said Ritter. "So anything that is in litigation should not be shared with residents. Another area is that of personnel. Virtually everything else is a public document."
But even with last week's award ceremony, the town's technology gurus have no plans to rest on their laurels.
"We're talking about adding more interactivity to the Web site in terms of posting forms so people can fill them out online," said Pike of new features to be added to the town's Web site. "That way they don't have to come to Town Hall to do everything. Also, last year we added the ability to pay bills online and then there's the 'town crier' feature where residents can post upcoming events."
For those interested in finding out what an award-winning town Web site looks like, they can check out Groton's home pages at www.townofgroton.org.
Autor(en)/Author(s): Pierre Comtois
Quelle/Source: Groton Landmark, 06.04.2007
