HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 1995.03.22 - 24530March 23, 1995
Miscellaneous Resolution # 95085
BY: David L. Moffitt, County Commissioner, District #18
RE: INTERNET ACCESS TO COUNTY DATA
TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS, Misc. Resolution 89297, much discussed though never
utimately passed, started the conversation that led to the
installment of modern PC's in the Board of Commissioners'
offices, and began the process of making County information
available to the public by requesting that Board resolutions,
agendas, minutes, etc. be electronically accessible to the
public; and
WHEREAS, Oakland County prides itself as being a leader in
county government administration, and it is time that Oakland
County took the next step into the Information Age; and
WHEREAS, the Internet is a worldwide linkage of computer
networks, and information sources including libraries, the
federal government, the Library of Congress, commercial users,
universities, and 4 1/2 million other information providers; and
WHEREAS, Metronet is a Michigan nonprofit corporation of
libraries that have established electronic information linkages
in Oakland County, currently including libraries in and for
Bloomfield Township, Birmingham, Rochester Hills, Addison
Township, Farmington, Farmington Hills, Independence Township,
Canton Township, and West Bloomfield Township, amongst others
being added regularly; and
WHEREAS, Metronet has achieved actual node status, on the
Internet and seeks to establish data linkages with local
information networks to allow the widest possible citizen access
to information, avoiding duplication of library and information
crIllc.ctir,nq, the necessity of physical travel to collection
locations, xerographic duplication of collection material, and
allowing 24 hour availability of information to any user
worldwide for the cost of a local phone call; and
WHEREAS, that despite being unpublicized, and largely
unknown even in Oakland County at present, the Metronet currently
receives 50,000 call per month, with calls increasing at a rate
of 20 a month, and calls are expected to increase exponentially
when Metronet membership on the Internet is publicized nation and
worldwide; and
WHEREAS, although the County can currently access the world
of information available to the public on the Internet via a
modem on a PC in the Board offices, the public and the world
cannot currently access any but the most limited amount of
Oakland County's information; and
WHEREAS, that organizations on the cutting edge of
information distribution such as Metronet are already
facilitating Internet access to local government data, such as to
the City of Farmington Hills currently, to Internet users
worldwide; and
WHEREAS, the City of Palo Alto, California and its host
county, Santa Clara County, already make certain data available
over the Internet free to any remote user, including City
profile, Economic Development data, city maps, public meeting
agendas, name and address directories to all departments and
agencies, city handicapped parking location maps, etc.; and
WHEREAS, that unlike counties hard-printing county directory
information, with attendant printing delays, by-hand directory
distribution, and inevitable going-out-of-date almost immediately
upon publication because of reorganizations, personnel attrition,
etc., these directories can be instantly updated, and freely
accessible without cost 365 days of the year; and
WHEREAS, examples of other advantages that can be realized
by making county data accessible to on-line users via the
Internet through organizations such as Metronet include, without
limitation, posting elections scheduling and ballot proposal
language, posting law enforcement advisory bulletins, posting
hearing dates and case status updates for potential witnesses,
police officers, and crime victims, accessibility of economic
development data, maps and aerial photographs, availability of
budgetary information both interdepartmentally and to local
governments, related county and state agencies; and
WHEREAS, citizen access to government by interactive
electronic "E-Mail" commentary upon pending legislation, agendas,
etc. would be possible through in-home PC use, national surveys
having estimated that over 50% of homes in suburban Oakland
County have personal computers with modems, and more have access
to personal computers with modems at their places of employment
which could be utilized to communicate with the County; and
WHEREAS, the only hardware, cost and expenditure necessary
to implement this beginning access by the Internet to the County
is one T-1 cable link, available through Ameritech at a cost of
approximately $2,400 a year, and one router box, currently
retailing for approximately $1,000; and
WHEREAS, private funding is available to establish links
between information providers such as the County to the Internet,
Metronet having recently, for example, received a $5,000 grant
from TRW to establish a public terminal link to the Internet and
the possibility of public grants exists through the U.S.
Department of Commerce National Telecommunication Infrastructure
Act or a Michigan Department of Commerce Equity grant.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board
of Commissioners establish a policy of widening citizen access to
government information generally, and to county-related
government information, particularly, through the most
economically feasible means, including electronic dissemination.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of
Commissioners establishes an Ad Hoc Study Committee for the
purpose of determining the feasibility of permitting
organizations such as Metronet access to county data for ultimate
dissemination through the Internet, and make recommendations
regarding areas of data to be made accessible, whether and what
charges for information availability are appropriate, needed
equipment or personnel costs, and implementation schedule.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of
Commissioners Ad Hoc Study Committee be comprised of the Director
of Information Technology or his designee, Director of the
Department of Management Et Budget or his designee, a
reprpAt=mtArive of an Internet information access group, such as
Metronet or similar, an interested citizen with appropriate
expertise, and two county commissioners.
Mr. Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing
resolution.
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