John Westra

Thanks for this lead. It looks like there are some people thinking about the same idea… How about a Code For America + GovLoop challenge to spec and build the “ultimate” Social Media-enabled FOIA submission & tracking system for Local Government!? While we’re at it… how about a sister Citizen-driven discussion forum + Agenda Submission system?

The biggest challenge to finding what you’ve described is a “built-in CAC reader.” Non-D.O.D.-spec systems don’t come with CAC reader options and none of the current NetBooks I am aware of have PCMCIA slots that can accommodate a 3rd-party internal CAC reader upgrade.
External USB-connected/powered CAC readers are available. These should work…[Read more]

I would try to identify an advocate, who was a peer (fellow manager) of my Boss, who my Boss respected. I would ask them if they would be willing to, “off the record,” compliment my Boss on allowing me to work on projects that benefit the entire organization and how that makes my Boss look good.

I would also approach my Boss directly and ask…[Read more]

I’ve always been a huge 4th of July Fan. Probably because my parents had me in 4th of July parades and going to watch fireworks since I was a baby. In between, the day always featured things like angel food cake with fresh strawberries, Cool Whip and Blueberries. blueberry & raspberry lemonade and of course, firecrackers!At age 12, I started…[Read more]

Great resources Courtney! Thanks for responding. What do you think is the #1 element organizations should make sure and incorporate in their Social Media policies? Conversely, what unnecessary or over-emphasized elements do you see cropping up in Social Media Policies on a regular basis?

Ori, Interesting to hear about the “ethics/legal questions” re endorsements. Thanks for sharing the Poynter link!

The following is a link to a new thread on the subject of Social Media Policies. On that thread you will find a sample policy and some additional links to Social Media Policy Best Practices.
Does Your Organization Have A Official…[Read more]

Help Government Serve Citizens Better via Technology

Check out the Echo Smart Pen by LiveScribe @ http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/ This technology allows you to capture both digital and audio content easily and forward it via email via a simple hotsync with a laptop, netbook or tablet PC. Audio files (dictation) can be transferred directly into Dragon Dictate, where they can be converted to text. If…[Read more]

“The truth is, it is up to the community” to get rid of the unions, whose inflated wages, rigid work rules and onerous pension provisions are continuing to choke the life out of municipal budgets everywhere! Did I mention getting rid of the tax & spend President and Congress, who STEAL average citizen’s money and use it to buy votes from the…[Read more]

Google Sites vs SharePoint – Still a Apples vs Oranges Comparison

The single greatest difference between these to product offerings may well be Privacy Others have mentioned this as a concern and for good reason. Here is a portion of Google’s Terms Of Service (TOS) for Sites:

“11.1 ….. By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give…[Read more]

Alan, you might want to check out http://www.localgovchat.com and the #localgovchat Hashtag on Twitter

What is all this fondness for “calmness!?” A “Pax” on Calmness!

One of my favorite movies is Serenity… not because it’s “calm,” but because it speaks to the outcome of a beneficent totalitarian government called The Alliance, that used the planet Miranda as a testing ground for the chemical agent G-23 Paxilon Hydrochlorate, or simply “Pax”…[Read more]