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MRSC Insight Blog


Posts for Information Technology

New Technology, Same Old Open Government Challenges

New Technology, Same Old Open Government Challenges

January 9, 2023  by  Sarah Doar
Category:  Information Technology ,  Open Public Meetings Act ,  Public Records Act

Software such as Microsoft Teams can help to facilitate communication in a workplace, but the use of such tools is tricky for governing bodies whose meetings must be open to the public and whose communications should be easily searchable if a public records request arises.

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Technology and Open Government: Maximizing Participation and Transparency

Technology and Open Government: Maximizing Participation and Transparency

February 28, 2022  by  Oskar Rey
Category:  Information Technology ,  Open Public Meetings Act ,  Public Participation

Obtaining a broad spectrum of public participation in local government meetings can be challenging. This blog looks at a few examples of the innovative tools and approaches Washington agencies are using. 

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Emerging Issues Roundup: Post-Pandemic Prognostications

Emerging Issues Roundup: Post-Pandemic Prognostications

April 1, 2021  by  Byron Katsuyama
Category:  Cybersecurity ,  Information Technology ,  Termination and Retirement

This blog focuses on three issues that may become more prominent for local governments as we approach the end of the COVID-19 pandemic: cybersecurity concerns, maintaining digital services, and retiring boomers. 

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Washington Local Governments Launch Mobile Apps

Washington Local Governments Launch Mobile Apps

March 15, 2017  by  Byron Katsuyama
Category:  Information Technology

This post looks at Washington local governments apps that deliver news and services to constituents in a mobile-friendly format.

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5 Takeaways from the Regional Smart Cities Workshop

5 Takeaways from the Regional Smart Cities Workshop

March 22, 2016  by  Josh Mahar
Category:  Information Technology

The decreasing costs of smart city technology and the importance of trust are just a few of the insights from the regional smart cities workshop in Redmond earlier this year.

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Seattle Addresses Privacy and Public Disclosure in New Strategy for Managing Big Data

Seattle Addresses Privacy and Public Disclosure in New Strategy for Managing Big Data

March 26, 2015  by  Josh Mahar
Category:  Information Technology

As jurisdictions adopt new technologies to better serve their constituents, questions of privacy and public disclosure are often left unanswered. Developing a strategy and process to address these issues, like Seattle is attempting, may help agencies avoid problems down the road.

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Top Five Video Ideas for Local Government

May 21, 2012  by  Tracy Burrows
Category:  Information Technology ,  Public Participation

The digital futurists predict that within three years 80 percent or more of internet content will be via video.  Why is that important to local government?  Citizens are already accessing most of their information about local government via the internet, and there will be a growing expectation that the information presented on your website will be via video.  The flexibility of the internet as a...

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