Monday, November 30, 2009
Friday, November 20, 2009
White House brief recognizes the City of Manor
Open Government Laboratories of Democracy
Posted by Beth Noveck on November 19, 2009 at 07:04 PM EST
"It is one of the happy incidents of the federal system," Justice Louis D. Brandeis wrote in 1932, "that a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country." The Obama Administration is taking unprecedented strides toward creating the most open and accountable government in history. And in so doing, we’re learning from those states and municipalities, which are undertaking exciting experiments to bring transparency, participation, and collaboration to the way they work as well.
Inspired by the President’s call for more open government, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts launched its data catalogue, following in the footsteps of Washington, DC, San Francisco, New York, and elsewhere around the country (as well as cities in Canada and the UK), to provide public access to information by and about government. What makes this exciting is not merely having transportation information available in machine-readable formats, but that professional and amateur enthusiasts can then get together, as they did last weekend, to create new software applications and data visualizations to better enable public transit riders to track arrival times for the next subway, bus, or ferry. Publishing government information online facilitates this kind of useful collaboration between government and the public that transforms dry data into the tools that improve people’s lives. (For another great example, check out what happened when we published the Federal Register for people to use.)
The National Association of State CIOs is helping to spur this movement toward greater data transparency at the state level by publishing “Guidance for Opening the Doors to State Data.”
Just as the federal government is using online brainstorming with government employees and the public to generate ideas for saving money or going green, state and local governments are also using new technology to tap people’s intelligence and expertise. The City of Manor, Texas (pop. 5800) has launched “Manor Labs,” an innovation marketplace for improving city services. A participant can sign up to suggest “ideas and solutions” for the police department, the municipal court, and everything in between. Each participant’s suggestion is ranked and rewarded with “innobucks.” These innobucks points can be redeemed for prizes: a million innobucks points wins “mayor for the day” while 400,000 points can be traded for a ride-along with the Chief of Police.
Manor is also one of the few cities currently using bar codes (known as QR or Quick Response Codes) to label physical locations around town. These bar codes can be scanned with a mobile phone to communicate historical and touristic information, data about the cost of a municipal service, or emergency management information. Manor is experimenting with techniques for providing different information to different audiences. If a resident scans a QR code outside a home for sale, she gets the floor plan and purchase price; whereas the building inspector gets the inspection history; and the first responder gets information about the current occupant.
As more of these innovative projects that foster open government go live and achieve results, we look forward to showcasing some of them on our blog and eventually making details available on the Open Government Innovation Gallery. Developers with new tools to offer to facilitate open government – including free social media applications -- should also check out Apps.gov and list their products (here’s how) for others to use. Openness and accountability are the responsibility of government at every level. By getting out the word about innovations that help to realize open government in practice, we can both promote new experiments and help people find and re-use the best ones.
Beth Noveck is Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Open Government
Posted by Beth Noveck on November 19, 2009 at 07:04 PM EST
"It is one of the happy incidents of the federal system," Justice Louis D. Brandeis wrote in 1932, "that a single courageous state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country." The Obama Administration is taking unprecedented strides toward creating the most open and accountable government in history. And in so doing, we’re learning from those states and municipalities, which are undertaking exciting experiments to bring transparency, participation, and collaboration to the way they work as well.
Inspired by the President’s call for more open government, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts launched its data catalogue, following in the footsteps of Washington, DC, San Francisco, New York, and elsewhere around the country (as well as cities in Canada and the UK), to provide public access to information by and about government. What makes this exciting is not merely having transportation information available in machine-readable formats, but that professional and amateur enthusiasts can then get together, as they did last weekend, to create new software applications and data visualizations to better enable public transit riders to track arrival times for the next subway, bus, or ferry. Publishing government information online facilitates this kind of useful collaboration between government and the public that transforms dry data into the tools that improve people’s lives. (For another great example, check out what happened when we published the Federal Register for people to use.)
The National Association of State CIOs is helping to spur this movement toward greater data transparency at the state level by publishing “Guidance for Opening the Doors to State Data.”
Just as the federal government is using online brainstorming with government employees and the public to generate ideas for saving money or going green, state and local governments are also using new technology to tap people’s intelligence and expertise. The City of Manor, Texas (pop. 5800) has launched “Manor Labs,” an innovation marketplace for improving city services. A participant can sign up to suggest “ideas and solutions” for the police department, the municipal court, and everything in between. Each participant’s suggestion is ranked and rewarded with “innobucks.” These innobucks points can be redeemed for prizes: a million innobucks points wins “mayor for the day” while 400,000 points can be traded for a ride-along with the Chief of Police.
Manor is also one of the few cities currently using bar codes (known as QR or Quick Response Codes) to label physical locations around town. These bar codes can be scanned with a mobile phone to communicate historical and touristic information, data about the cost of a municipal service, or emergency management information. Manor is experimenting with techniques for providing different information to different audiences. If a resident scans a QR code outside a home for sale, she gets the floor plan and purchase price; whereas the building inspector gets the inspection history; and the first responder gets information about the current occupant.
As more of these innovative projects that foster open government go live and achieve results, we look forward to showcasing some of them on our blog and eventually making details available on the Open Government Innovation Gallery. Developers with new tools to offer to facilitate open government – including free social media applications -- should also check out Apps.gov and list their products (here’s how) for others to use. Openness and accountability are the responsibility of government at every level. By getting out the word about innovations that help to realize open government in practice, we can both promote new experiments and help people find and re-use the best ones.
Beth Noveck is Deputy Chief Technology Officer for Open Government
Developer offers use of land to remedy City Bike Ban
Dwyer Realty Companies care of its development Central Park have notified the City of Manor that it is willing and capable of donating the use of land along the south side of Blake Manor Road to remedy the City of Manor's pending Council action/ordinance to ban bikes along a segment of Blake Manor Road.
See attached link: http://www.dwyerrealty.com/documents/memotoMayorandCouncilreCityordinanceconsiderationprohibitingbicycleaccessalongBM11.19.09r.pdf
See attached link: http://www.dwyerrealty.com/documents/memotoMayorandCouncilreCityordinanceconsiderationprohibitingbicycleaccessalongBM11.19.09r.pdf
Monday, November 16, 2009
CHARACTER COUNTS
Since the 2008 school year, I have been aware that Manor ISD has promoted a CHARACTER COUNTS program as an instructive tool to its students on all of its campuses. The CHARACTER COUNTS program isn’t JUST a banner, a logo or an empty motto. Not at all.
The CHARACTER COUNTS programs is based upon a core of six ethical values that everyone can agree on — values that are not political, they are not religious, nor are they culturally biased. Through the use of these core ethical values young people grow to understand the Six Pillars, and use then use mnemonic devices to help them remember.
Trustworthiness
Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal — stand by your family, friends and country
Respect
Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults and disagreements
Responsibility
Do what you are supposed to do • Persevere: keep on trying! • Always do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act — consider the consequences • Be accountable for your choices
Fairness
Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly
Caring
Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need
Citizenship
Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment
Last week on a Tuesday morning Manor ISD presented a living testament and embodiment that it practices what it teaches through CHARACTER COUNTS. My office received a call that a school bus full of elementary school children were broken down on US 290, just west of the Parmer Lane intersection. The students, teachers and chaperons were on their way from Taylor, Texas to attend an educational field trip at the Travis County Exposition Center. Their bus was incapacitated and the students were going to miss an exciting day of events at the Expo Center. I called my friend and our Deputy School Superintendent Rusty Wallace to ask for his help. Rusty immediately jumped to action. Rusty sent over Greg Andrus, the District Transportation Director and a crew of mechanics, followed by a school bus. The students from Taylor were timely and safely transitioned from their broken down school bus and loaded onto the MISD bus, then taken to the Expo Center so they could make their field trip.
Rusty, Greg and MISD could have come up with 20 reasons on why MISD couldn’t or shouldn’t get involved. But in the end, there were children involved and that was the primary focus for Rusty and MISD. It is EXACTLY that sort of CHARACTER that COUNTS!
My heart is full of appreciation and admiration for our school district and the wonderful personnel at the helm. Thank you MISD.
Danny Burnett
Development Coordinator
Dwyer Realty Companies
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