Williamsville, NY

ON MOTION by Trustee Duquin, seconded by Trustee Piazza, the following resolution was adopted:

WHEREAS, the Village of Williamsville is committed to creating a high level of openness and transparency in government; and

WHEREAS, the three principles of transparency, participation and collaboration form the cornerstone of an open government; and

WHEREAS, more government information should be published and made available via the Internet which will provide greater public access to information and a mechanism for public feedback and participation; and

WHEREAS, the demands of an across-the-board open government framework require the assistance of an Open Government Committee, to guide these initiatives; and

WHEREAS, goals and timetables should be established for development and implementation of an overall Open Government Plan to enhance and develop transparency, public participation, and collaboration in all Village activities;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, THAT:

(1) The Mayor shall designate a department head to serve as a liaison to the Open Government Committee. The liaison will lead the Open Government initiatives outlined in this Resolution, including working with Village departments and agencies to establish standards for publication of information and the most effective means for making such information available. The liaison will report to the Mayor regarding Open Government initiatives.</p>

(2) The Village Board shall appoint an Open Government Committee. The Committee shall consist of five (5) members, including the liaison, and shall be chaired by an individual designated by the Mayor. The Committee shall meet regularly at such times as the Board decides.</span>

(3) The Committee shall develop and publish an Open Government Plan. The Plan will detail, including specific actions and timelines, the steps that the Village will take to incorporate the principles of open government into its daily activities. The Plan shall be formulated with the input of senior policy, legal, and technology leadership in the Village; open government experts; and the general public.

Components of the Open Government Plan shall include:

(1) Transparency: Steps the Village will take to conduct its work more openly and publish its information online, including ready public access to ordinances and regulations, policies, legislative records, budget information, and other information.

(2) Public participation; Description of how the Village will enhance and expand opportunities for the public to participate throughout each department’s decision-making process, including instructions for online access to published information and opportunities for comment; methods for identifying stakeholders and other affected parties and encouraging their participation; links to appropriate websites where the public can engage in the Village’s existing participatory processes; and proposed changes to internal management and administrative policies to increase public participation.

(3) Collaboration: Steps the Village will take to enhance and expand cooperation among its departments and agencies, other governmental agencies, private and nonprofit entities, and the public, to fulfill Village goals and obligations; including proposals to use technology platforms and links to appropriate websites to improve and inform the public about existing collaboration efforts, and use of innovative methods to obtain ideas from and to increase collaborations with those in the private sector, nonprofit and academic communities.

(4) A portal/place shall be established on the Village’s website that will serve as the source for Village-wide and departmental activities with respect to this open government initiative.

(5) Each Village department and agency shall develop a schedule for making information available to the public and updating it on a regular basis. To the extent practicable and subject to valid restrictions, agencies shall publish information online (in addition to other planned or mandated publication methods), and in an open format. The open format will provide data in a form that can be retrieved, downloaded, indexed, searched and reused by commonly used web search applications and software.

(6) The Open Government Portal shall include a mechanism for the public to give feedback on and assess the quality of published information, provide input about what information should be a priority for publication, and provide input on the Village’s Open Government Plan.

(7) Progress toward meeting the Open Government goals set forth in this Resolution shall be evaluated six months from the adoption date of this Resolution, again one year from the adoption date, and annually thereafter. The evaluation shall be released on the Open Government Portal and shall include criteria to be developed by the Committee.

Unanimously carried.