Title
City of Gainesville Open Data Policy (B)
Resolution No 180445.
A Resolution of the City Commission of the City of Gainesville, Florida, establishing an Open Data Policy and providing an effective date.
Explanation
This resolution formalizes a lasting support for a more open, transparent, and accessible government by adopting an Open Data Resolution.
In early 2014, the City of Gainesville lead an open data movement as one of the first cities of its size in the southeast to publish an online portal for accessing city data and information. The open data portal launched with a couple dozen datasets and maps in accessible formats.
Since the initial launch of the open data portal, Strategic Initiatives has expanded the amount and types of data available by releasing highly requested information, such as crime incidents, fire/rescue calls for service, and budget expenditures. Staff has also focused on improving the data quality, frequency of data availability, and automation processes.
Strategic Initiatives has facilitated community engagement by hosting public hackathons, co-sponsoring the launch of a Code for Gainesville brigade, and partnering with the University of Florida on data-centered community research projects. Staff has also led internal training and education sessions.
In 2017, the City of Gainesville was selected as one of only 100 cities to partner with the Bloomberg-funded philanthropy, What Works Cities. What Works Cities has provided in-kind support, training, and guidance to cities across the country be leveraging national experts to improve cities’ use of data and evidence to address community challenges and issues.
As a result of this partnership, Gainesville gained valuable insight into leveraging data as an asset for implementing the city’s Strategic Framework and measuring community impact. Strategic Initiatives has since established governance processes to evaluate privacy and sensitivity concerns, prioritize and publish new data, and foster greater engagement with staff. Staff will build on this improved foundation by leveraging performance data to improve effective operations and community outcomes.
Concurrently, the City Commission adopted a Broadband Subcommittee, which eventually broadened its focus to Digital Accessibility. The subcommittee had several discussions about data governance and participated in developing the proposed Open Data Resolution.
The Open Data Resolution provides a framework for the city’s Charter Officers to implement procedures for managing accessible, open data. The intent of the Open Data Resolution is to provide a lasting support of leveraging data to improve service delivery and operational performance, promote opportunities for economic development and entrepreneurship, encourage academic access and research, and establish and build partnerships to collaboratively solve community challenges.
Note: The Digital Access voted unanimously for the policy.
Fiscal Note
None
Recommendation
The City Commission (1) receive a presentation; and (2) adopt Resolution Number 180445.