People should be able to pay their electric bills online with city of Austin
People should be able to pay their electric bills online with city of Austin
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This idea is active.General Ideas »13 comments for Idea: People should be able to pay their electric bills online with city of Austin
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should be able to see road closings for parades, festivals, etc
4 comments for Idea: should be able to see road closings for parades, festivals, etcshould be able to see road closings for parades, festivals, etc
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People should be able to see their current water meter usage/charges online
6 comments for Idea: People should be able to see their current water meter usage/charges onlinePeople should be able to see their current water meter usage/charges online
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Calendar for community events
6 comments for Idea: Calendar for community eventscreate a calendar where people can post local events - i'm thinking about bike events specifically - critical mass, races, etc. check out atxbs.com for what i mean.
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Map of city-sponsored free (still exist?) WiFi hotspots
6 comments for Idea: Map of city-sponsored free (still exist?) WiFi hotspotsPeople should be able to see a map of the city-sponsored WiFi hotspots around town, including extent of coverage.
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The new city website should be based in open source.
3 comments for Idea: The new city website should be based in open source.The new city website should be based in open source.
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People should be able to track applications for city contracts online
1 comment for Idea: People should be able to track applications for city contracts onlinePeople should be able to track applications for city contracts online
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Open Source, Open Standards, Open Data
We need something like Vancouver is doing. See this http://www.straight.com/article-220944/city-vancouver-set-back-open-source-open-standards-open-data Here is draft language THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Austin endorses the principles of: • Open and Accessible Data - the City of Austin will freely share with citizens, businesses and other jurisdictions the greatest amount of data possible while respecting ...more »
2 comments for Idea: Open Source, Open Standards, Open DataWe need something like Vancouver is doing. See this http://www.straight.com/article-220944/city-vancouver-set-back-open-source-open-standards-open-data
Here is draft language
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Austin endorses the principles of:
• Open and Accessible Data - the City of Austin will freely share with citizens, businesses and other jurisdictions the greatest amount of data possible while respecting privacy and security concerns;
• Open Standards - the City of Austin will move as quickly as possible to adopt prevailing open standards for data, documents, maps, and other formats of media;
• Open Source Software - the City of Austin, when replacing existing software or considering new applications, will place open source software on an equal footing with commercial systems during procurement cycles;
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Keep/Enhance Map of Local Businesses / Business Districts
2 comments for Idea: Keep/Enhance Map of Local Businesses / Business DistrictsI think we should keep and/or enhance the City's map of local businesses and business districts. The only downside is how hard it is to find on the site!
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Neighborhood groups searchable
Add your comment for Idea: Neighborhood groups searchableNeighborhood groups should be searchable by address. Right now you can only search by neighborhood group name. That's not very helpful.
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City-sponsored crowdsourcing
1 comment for Idea: City-sponsored crowdsourcingMake this model available to local businesses - e.g. the Hideout Theatre _really_ needs a better site, and they're cool
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Mayoral Score Card
3 comments for Idea: Mayoral Score CardHave a place that lists all the promises made you the voters of Austin and give a grade for each section.
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link to all the business events / networking for the business community from the city website
1 comment for Idea: link to all the business events / networking for the business community from the city websiteA free link to all the business events / networking for the business community, non-profit community, arts community, etc...
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Need a Taste Of Austin
2 comments for Idea: Need a Taste Of AustinHaving worked at High Tech companies and a dot.com I want to see a lot of pictures of life in Austin. I have many friends overseas and I want to show them a taste of Austin and there are not to many websites that have pictures of Austin and the Austin lifestyle. This new city of Austin website needs it.
Ralph
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Carbon Neutral Rail Service
2 comments for Idea: Carbon Neutral Rail ServiceTake a poll on this idea....
Kick it around... does it make sense?
Take Metro Rail "Carbon Neutral"
www.carbonneutralrailservice.com
Why not be the first.
David
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Free Cake Day
Add your comment for Idea: Free Cake DayThere should be a free cake day every second Friday of the month. Too many bakers waste product that isn't consumed at the end of the day. Why not give it away to folks who live in Austin?
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Can the LEADERS of OA share HOW this could possibly work for development beyond idea generation?
The Open Austin plan. First off it’s not a plan. It’s a creative use of an idea generation and capture platform called IdeaScale. What Mr. Hurley and company did was launch a “campaign” to Open Source the City’s website really without a PLAN or any INFRASTRUCTURE to make that potential plan a reality. Here are my points that I posted on the OpenAustin Facebook page once it launched. I’m not sure the logic is sound on ...more »
1 comment for Idea: Can the LEADERS of OA share HOW this could possibly work for development beyond idea generation?The Open Austin plan.
First off it’s not a plan. It’s a creative use of an idea generation and capture platform called IdeaScale. What Mr. Hurley and company did was launch a “campaign” to Open Source the City’s website really without a PLAN or any INFRASTRUCTURE to make that potential plan a reality. Here are my points that I posted on the OpenAustin Facebook page once it launched.
I’m not sure the logic is sound on this idea of Open Sourcing Austin’s web site for several reasons.
1. The city needs to name a vendor to be responsible for the budgets and accounting of the work to be done.
2. The RFP states the use of a HUB vendor for a portion of the work. [Sure the RFP is going to be rewritten, but my guess is HUB requirement will stand. Why would the city take it off?]
3. The Open model is great for development but not so great for delivering on-time solutions.
4. There a several different types of teams needed to undertake a site as large as the City of Austin website. Each team could be comprised of 2 - 5 members. Who would lead, elect and monitor these groups and keep the milestone delivery on track?
5. In the Open Source model, who do you hold accountable for problems, missed deadlines and disagreements?
I believe that what OpenAustin HAS done, and what will comprise 100% of the OpenAustin contribution is putting up the IdeaScale site to capture ideas.
Here are my extreme prejudices with the idea that Open Austin will form an entity and take on the City’s site development project.
1. The liability with a contract of this size is also a liability of the same size. So $800k contract, $800k liability. I suppose a non-profit of sorts could form and take out a bond or some other insurance against non-performance. Because that’s where the rub is. Glad to hear you have successful open source projects under your belt, but I can show you hundreds (see sorceforge.net) that have fallen behind and ultimately fallen apart due to lack of focus and accountability.
2. So how could OpenAustin (an openaustin non-profit open source group) form a legal body that could be liable for the entire contract and terms of service agreements that would go along with it?
I am listening, but I am also envisioning a collaborative proposal involving 2- 3 local firms. One of the firms would have to be big enough to assume the liability of the entire contract. However, unlike the OpenAustin dream, these team players could have 4 major advantages over a the "we could form a non-profit" approach.
1. Already in existence,
2. Already HUB approved and
3. A proven track record of on-time and on-budget site launches
4. Already capable of assuming the performance and liability of an $800k contract.
I encourage everyone to join their voices together on the OpenAustin Idea platform. And I hope that the June 18th meeting with the City Council is productive.
I look forward to a healthy RFP process once the new criteria is released in July. A lot of people are interested in participating. I know I am. And who knows maybe Whurley can pull a rabbit out of his hat.
@jmacofearth
permalink to the full article: http://bit.ly/COA-NewRFP
http://www.meterthis.net/coawebsite
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make whurley the deputy of the secretary of social web strategy
Considering that mr. hurley's suggestions have wheatliously risen amongst chaff, I recommend that whurley become the "deputy of the secretary of social web strategy" This higher gig would endow prominence to el abre del open sorcrero. Further, whurley would get a CoA contract greater than 0.05% of current budget for new site, plus dental and facial groomery. W/out whim, whurley's got a finger on it. Get the people ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: make whurley the deputy of the secretary of social web strategyConsidering that mr. hurley's suggestions have wheatliously risen amongst chaff, I recommend that whurley become the "deputy of the secretary of social web strategy"
This higher gig would endow prominence to el abre del open sorcrero. Further, whurley would get a CoA contract greater than 0.05% of current budget for new site, plus dental and facial groomery.
W/out whim, whurley's got a finger on it. Get the people involved. Push for transparency. Let the taxpayers look up the skirt of the taxspenders. It is a big deal. WHURLEY 4 DEPUTY OF THE SECRETARY!
Oh, and also, make wattmonkey the admin of the deputy of the secretary. BLING!
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Parks
Parks have interactive map for tracking parks visited. Would allow kids to keep a comprehensive list and park officials to keep a head count of visitors. Could have easy to read symbols for park activities, hike/bike trail, pool, splash pads, creeks, fishing, bbq pits, sports fields and amenities, playgrounds, theatre and accessible parking and a notice pop up if parking costs are applicable due to special event or such. ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: ParksParks have interactive map for tracking parks visited. Would allow kids to keep a comprehensive list and park officials to keep a head count of visitors. Could have easy to read symbols for park activities, hike/bike trail, pool, splash pads, creeks, fishing, bbq pits, sports fields and amenities, playgrounds, theatre and accessible parking and a notice pop up if parking costs are applicable due to special event or such.
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Volunteering
Volunteerism. It would be great to see more community oriented and sponsored volunteerism. Could allow for people and city wanting to get work with the city, to check each other out. As well as means for young people to check out different trades and get "work" experience. City could help offset volunteers transportation costs by providing season pool passes at city hourly wage commitment or wage equivalent in deduction ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: VolunteeringVolunteerism. It would be great to see more community oriented and sponsored volunteerism. Could allow for people and city wanting to get work with the city, to check each other out.
As well as means for young people to check out different trades and get "work" experience.
City could help offset volunteers transportation costs by providing season pool passes at city hourly wage commitment or wage equivalent in deduction to utilities or property taxes.
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Energy
I would like to see a "vanishing deductible" applied to city utility services. The longer you pay into the services as a resident of Austin the less your energy rate would be. This would counteract gentrification, property taxes, and energy rate increases for the poor and elderly where the pennies on the dollar hit hardest. This could be offset by setting example for nation and allow persons to transfer their "credit ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: EnergyI would like to see a "vanishing deductible" applied to city utility services. The longer you pay into the services as a resident of Austin the less your energy rate would be. This would counteract gentrification, property taxes, and energy rate increases for the poor and elderly where the pennies on the dollar hit hardest. This could be offset by setting example for nation and allow persons to transfer their "credit rating" to the new utility service group they move under. Companies that wished to relocate people to Austin could make their incentive packages to include the new utility user increase in demand. This would create more support for local ownership, community responsibility, progressively fruitful ideas over market stability driven ones.
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Swimmin
Add your comment for Idea: SwimminInteractive map of pools and hours.
Interactive to allow for pool to get a possible "head count" and to allow kids to track the pools they visit over the summer.
Map kid oriented to allow for easy identification of pool type (wader, community oriented, diving boards, lap lanes, showers, natural vs cement, etc.
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International ventures
1 comment for Idea: International venturesI want to know who in the city of Austin is doing business abroad, is a multi-national corporation, or has ideas that travel far. It could work for business collaborations and networking.
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A few items
Add your comment for Idea: A few itemsI'd like to see city job postings, various programs, rebates, tax incentives, etc available to residences, current issues and space for open discussion about them, blog/vlog space for community leaders and elected officials.
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