Winston-Salem, NC

Sunlight provided assistance with the development of this policy.

RESOLUTION CREATING THE CITY OF WINSTON-SALEM’S OPEN DATA PROGRAM TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO PUBLIC INFORMATION AND DATA

WHEREAS, the City of Winston-Salem (hereafter, ‘the City’) collects and stores a multitude of data types from various operations; and

WHEREAS, access to public information promotes a higher level of civic engagement and allows citizens to provide valuable feedback to government officials regarding local issues; and

WHEREAS, every citizen has the right to responsive, efficient service from the government; and

WHEREAS, every resident and service user should be given equal access to government services and public information; and

WHEREAS, the thoughtful implementation of an open data program improves provision of services, increases transparency and access to public information, and enhances coordination and efficiencies among departments, partner organizations and citizens; and

WHEREAS, an Open Data Program proactively provides information currently sought through public records requests, thereby saving the City time and money; and

WHEREAS, in commitment to the spirit of Open Government, the City will consider public information to be open by default and will proactively publish data consistent with North Carolina Public Records law; and

WHEREAS, information technologies, including web-based and other Internet applications or services, are essential tools for Open Government and good government generally; and

WHEREAS, by publishing structured, standardized data, the City seeks to encourage civic engagement and generally provide better access to public records; and

WHEREAS, the protection of privacy, confidentiality, and security will be maintained as a paramount priority while also advancing the government’s transparency and accountability through open data.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Mayor and City Council of the City of Winston-Salem that:

1. The City Manager will have the authority to establish an Open Data Program to facilitate the objectives stated in this Resolution.

2. The City Manager is authorized and directed to establish administrative policies and staff responsibilities to support the governance of the Open Data Program.