The tool now integrates a seamless dashboard that lets users dig deep into volumes of eye-opening information collected and shared by the City. The website redesign results in a more approachable and user-friendly experience, while still offering volumes of data on anything from crime reports, fire response and demolitions to parking revenue, budgets and paving progress.
“Open Data Montgomery has been a one-stop-shop for everything anyone needs to know about city government,” Mayor Steven L. Reed said. “It fosters greater transparency, accountability and efficiency by keeping our residents informed on efforts to improve service and impact quality of life.”
Open Data Montgomery came as City leaders sought new ways to innovate government processes through technology to increase transparency, encourage public engagement and maximize efficiency. City managers now use the platform and its data daily to benchmark performance and continuously improve services.
Thanks to its open API format, the website could serve as a springboard for new apps and tools created by the local tech and development community. Anyone can tap into the data to siphon information from the system for use in creating new programs or projects. Partners, like the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, seek to foster that kind of collaboration with upcoming community events and learning opportunities.
The Chamber, through its TechMGM initiative, will focus on connecting the community with the experts at their TechMGM Forum on March 25. Entitled Tech@NITE: Data Edition, the after-hours event will bring experts from Amazon Web Services and Trenholm State Community College together to share ways that the new Open Data Portal can help individuals, software developers, business owners and the community at large. Tickets are free but registration is required and available at Eventbrite.com.
For more information or to explore Open Data Montgomery today, visit http://opendata.montgomeryal.gov (FYI – alternate URL, data.montgomeryal.gov, is transitioning to site and will be live in 72 hours).
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Griffith Waller
Public Relations Specialist
City of Montgomery
(334) 625-2726 (office)
(334) 235-0871 (cell)
gwaller@montgomeryal.gov