Kansas City, KS

Sunlight provided assistance with the development of this policy.

Administrative Order

Subject: Open Data Requirements and Implementation Plan

OBJECTIVE

The Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas recognizes that public access to local government information is fundamental to transparency and accountability, and that the proactive disclosure of data promotes citizen engagement with the potential benefit of civic development of new applications to improve service delivery. Therefore, the Unified Government will make datasets publicly available for review, interpretation, analysis and research.

DIRECTIVE

Unified Government departments will work in cooperation with the Open Data Committee as outlined in this Administrative Order to make datasets publicly available on the UG Open Data portal.

DATA STANDARDS

In an effort to promote the interoperability between information systems and the release of data to the public in a way that promotes maximal access to data, departments will strive to incorporate the following standards into data collection;

Machine readability: Data shall be collected and released in machine readable, open formats based on common data standards, that allow for automated processing

Data quality: Datasets shall be complete and available in a timely manner (with the ultimate goal of real-time data release), and when possible should be available for bulk download.

License-free: When possible Data will be made available at no cost and using an open license, with no restrictions on copying, publishing, distributing, transmitting, or adapting the information. Data will not be subject to copyright, patent, or trademark regulation.

Metadata: For all datasets hosted on the UG Open Data site, the following metadata requirements shall be provided: ● Name of department responsible for maintaining dataset ● Name of dataset owner in the department where data originates ● Frequency of data update and date and time of most recent update ● Clear labels and explanations of data in each field

GOVERNANCE AND OVERSIGHT

Open Data Committee shall be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the open data program, working with Unified Government departments to:

1. Identify data owners to participate in the department’s involvement in the open data program
2. Oversee the development of an inventory of datasets held by departments
3. Develop a process for weighing risk against public benefit when determining whether to publish potentially sensitive datasets
4. Work to procure an open data portal
5. Establish a process for publishing datasets onto the UG Open Data site, including processes for ensuring datasets meet the standards laid out in Data Standards section and datasets that include information determined to be protected or sensitive are excluded from publication
6. Develop a process for prioritizing datasets to be released onto the UG Open Data site, which takes into account: a. Relationship to the Mayor’s and Board of Commissioners’ initiatives and strategic goals b. New and existing signals of interest from the public (such as frequency of records requests and survey feedback) c. Cost

REPORT AND REVIEW

Within one year of the effective date of this Administrative Regulation the Chief Knowledge Officer shall submit to the Commission of the Unified Government an annual report on the Unified Government’s progress toward the goals laid out in Resolution 31-13. The report shall also include a list of datasets currently available on the UG Open Data site, a description and publication timeline for datasets envisioned to be published on the portal in the following year, and recommended changes to the open data program.

DEFINITIONS

Common Data Standards: Any set of data collection standards designed to promote interoperability across agencies and organizations and facilitate the efficient exchange and use of information collected in different systems.

Data: Statistical, factual, quantitative, or qualitative information that is maintained or created by or on behalf of a Unified Government department.

Dataset: A collection of data presented in tabular or non-tabular form.

Interoperability: The ability of different information technology systems, software and data applications to communicate and exchange data, and use the information that has been exchanged.

Metadata: Data that describes a dataset. Metadata summarizes basic information about a dataset, such as the date range covered by a dataset, a description of the dataset, the manager or steward of the dataset, etc.

Open Data: Data made open and freely available online to the public to be republished, manipulated, or used in any other way without restriction.

Open Data Portal: A single web portal maintained by or on behalf of the Unified Government that will be the repository and public access point for the Unified Government’s Open Data and will include features that facilitate comments and questions from the public. The internet site is currently located at:

Open Format: Any widely accepted, nonproprietary, platform-independent, machine-readable method for transmitting data, which permits automated processing of such data and facilitates analysis and search capabilities.

Dataset: A named collection of related records, with the collection containing data organized or formatted in a specific or prescribed way, often in tabular form.

Protected information: Any dataset or portion thereof to which a department may deny access pursuant to the Kansas Open Records Act or any other law, rule, or regulation.

Sensitive Information: Any data that, if published on the Open Data Portal, could raise privacy, confidentiality or security concerns or have the potential to jeopardize public health, safety or welfare to an extent that is greater than the potential public benefit of publishing that data.

Signed by County Administrator on November 28, 2016