When it comes to immigration formalities, the children of naturalized parents and those adopted by American parents are often notified by of their citizenship by a letter in the mail. But at a recent ceremony at the Children’s Museum of Minnesota, the[...]
Tag: Open Government
News |
Top Devils Lake cops placed on leave after disparaging internal report
All is not well inside the Devils Lake Police Department and responsibility for the situation is landing at the top of the food chain. The department’s chief and second in command have been placed on paid administrative leave by the City Commission.[...]
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Winnipeg Councillors hire integrity boss to police their ethical behaviour
Elected officials for the City of Winnipeg have taken an unprecedented step in hiring an in-house ethics officer who will operate under the title of ‘integrity commissioner’. The first task of the newly appointed office — writing a new code of conduct[...]
Commentary |
Lawmakers Should Make Regular Public Input a Requirement at Public Meetings
Rob Port makes the argument that North Dakota legislators would do well to put some intentional, explicit places for public input within the governing process. He doesn’t think it has to be all the time or at every meeting, but there should[...]
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Top Alerus Center officials put on paid leave
Two officials at the city-owned Alerus Center in Grand Forks have been placed on paid administrative leave following allegations of misconduct. An independent investigation into the matter has been commissioned by the City of Grand Forks to help deliver a resolution. [...]Read[...]
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News |
Council Reorganization Commitee Recommends Raises for Mayor and Alderman
The committee advising on Minot’s transition to a smaller, 7-member Modern Council next June is recommending raises be given to elected officials starting in the 2018 budget year. Alderman currently earn $595 per month; if approved by the full City Council, that wage[...]
Commentary |
On transparency, it’s time for the City of Minot to Start Exceeding Expectations
Transparency was a popular theme at Minot’s recent meet the candidates forums. But when the 14th is behind us, we all need to do a better job of holding elected officials accountable to the task. To put it simply, the City is[...]
Commentary |
Thank God North Dakota Politicians are 100% Honest!
Former New Mexico Secretary of State Dianna Duran has recently pled guilty to two felonies that would not have been detected and arguably not a crime if she had been an elected state official or legislator in North Dakota.Her crimes were that[...]
Commentary |
The Legal Foundation for Minot’s City Council, Can You Find It?
In my investigation into how Minot does municipal government, I uncovered an interesting and possibly even disturbing fact. Nowhere in Minot’s easily accessible governing documents, i.e., our home rule charter, and our published code of ordinances, is there any written, legal foundation[...]
Commentary |
Four Ways North Dakota Can Improve Open Records/Open Meetings Laws
An ardent supporter of open records and meeting reform, Mr. Port has been asked to serve on a task force that will address the issue. In this commentary, he outlines four critical steps necessary to making our governments more open, transparent, and[...]
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News |
What Factors Influence Transparency in US Local Government?
To what extent does increased Internet access lead to higher levels of government transparency? A study of the U.S. midwest found varying degrees of Internet usage by local governments, but education level of the citizenship seems to be the most common indicator[...]
Commentary |
Editorial: Clear Communication in Minot Needs More Than Lip Service
Did you catch Jill Schramm’s article in the Minot Daily News on Minot’s Disaster Resilience Competition meeting? If not, it’s worth your time to read it and see the projects local leaders are recommending for Minot. The window to complete Minot’s Phase[...]
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Innovation: Building a Smarter Future for Cities
New technology allows for new tools, new automation, and new methods in local government. And if we implement them wisely, we’ll become more responsive and more resilient. Get the rundown on the win win opportunities available on the municipal leadership landscape. [...]Read More...[...]
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#SocialCivics and the Architecture of Civic Participation
Communication is a big issue in Minot right now, it’s one of the reasons The Minot Voice exists and this article from O’Reilly.com offers some ideas about how government can make their important news more consumable. Minot needs these ideas now. [...]Read[...]
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Attorneys say North Dakota Transparency Laws Need Revamp
Here’s the comment from a representative of the North Dakota Newspaper Association, “I think that North Dakota still has one of the finest open record and open meeting laws in the country, … there are a few glitches, here and there, that need[...]
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Commentary |
Deck Seems Stacked Against The Public When It Comes To Transparency
You’ll see The Minot Voice harp on open government and transparency over and over again, but this time we don’t have to do it because Rod St. Aubyn writing at Say Anything has chosen to carry the torch for a little while.[...]