Last weekend I was fortunate to be able to spend the entire weekend at the UIC campus in Chicago hanging out with about 100 other people who are interested in local government. The event was CityCamp – a conference held in unconference style where the attendees determine and host the sessions. While there were several…
Category: Social Media
Sustainable Open Government
The cry for open government is rising and elected officials are delivering. But in the zeal to throw open the doors to the records vault, no one bothered to fully understand the impact except for those of us who actually work for government. But no one wants to hear from us. Politicians only care about…
Microsoft Tags Go Live
Back in May I was hoping someone would make a business card that could cause a computer device to go directly to a Website. While this technology might have been possible back then, it did not seem readily available to a regular person like me. But no more! Microsoft has come to the rescue creating…
Social Networking Lessons for Building Local Communities
Can local governments succeed in building community by following lessons provided by successful social networks?
Open Government: A New Type of Reality Show?
There’s been a lot of talk lately about open and transparent government, public data collection and distribution, and freedom of information. People are excited about online tools that allow for sharing of data. And politicians are eagerly answering the cries for open government by passing new FOIA laws and demanding data sets be released online….
APWA Goes Social
Many established professional organizations and associations are still trying to figure out social media or worse, have not yet even heard about it. Which can be frustrating for members because social media provides a great way for members to network. And networking is one of the main reasons people join associations. However, members of APWA…
Deliver Recovery Project Information Using Social Media
Implementing a social media campaign for delivery of recovery project related information is a good way for local government to test the use of social media. The demand for this information is there, and the tools are available at little to no cost. So how would a local government accomplish this goal? First, the agency…
MuniGovCon09 – A Virtual Conference for Government
Yesterday the MuniGov group held the first virtual conference for government in Second Life. This event was the result of about five months of planning and hours of volunteer work by members of the group. Registrations for the event totaled 166 people representing all levels of government from the U.S., Canada, and other countries along…
Social Media Tools for Construction Geeks
If you have an iphone, download AudioBoo for free – now! – particularly if you work in any construction-related field. This handy tool allows for the ability to combine an IM, a photo, a location map, and a 3-minute audio blurb in one upload. This upload can then be found on the AudioBoo Website for…
We Are Public Works Network
Visit We Are Public WorksLast month, the American Public Works Association (APWA) launched an online network for those of us working in the public works industry. Since beginning late in February, WEAREPUBLICWORKS.ORG has grown to over a hundred members. And even though APWA launched the site, you don’t have to be a member of APWA…