Help shine a light and open up Government

Participate in Transparency Camp this Friday and Saturday, October 14th and 15th
By Brian J. Cummins, Cleveland City Council member, Ward 14, Cleveland Ohio, October 11, 2016
Greater Cleveland area residents have a unique opportunity this Friday and Saturday to take action and shine a bright
light on issues surrounding government information, accountability, and transparency.
In my service as an elected official for the last decade, and as a civic activist for more than 30 years, I know the
importance of accessibility as it pertains to government and the public for which it serves. The need to collect and
better use government generated data is essential in our work to focus limited public resources to meet the challenges
and opportunities we have in improving government. Equally important is to involve our residents and business people.
In addition to empowering residents to use available data tools and civic technology, including the use of data to confirm
the status of a vacant property on their block, Ive also strived to provide my constituency with transparency, and the
accessibility, of information around topics including my office's funding authority, the City budget, government contracts
and bid information for pro-sport stadium funding, tax revenue collection, contracts for the RNC convention, the Spanish
translation of the City of Cleveland Consent decree.
Moreover, for the past two years my office has been collaborating with local groups working on the forefront of our
local open data and civic technology movement. The collaborative of civic activists from Open Cleveland, Hack
Cleveland, OpenNeo and the Cleveland Global Shapers, in partnership with the Cleveland Public Library, make up the
local Host Committee for this years Sunlight Foundation Transparency Camp. The Cleveland Foundation, DigitalC,
LeanDog, Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, Ashbury Senior Computer Community Center, Connect Your Community
2.0, NEO CANDO, CSUs Center for Population Dynamics and Case Poverty Center are also involved in supporting open
data initiatives, using government data for research as well as improving access to technology.
Now, more than ever, individuals can make a difference in collaborating with government and public agencies. Were
enthused to point towards some of the current work being done in Cleveland including the development of an intuitive
City land bank lots platform and application, the collection of publicly available data aimed at increasing compliance
rates within the City rental registration program, opening up and making City Council records more readily, and easily,
accessible, and the development of a tool allowing transit riders to locate their nearest public transit stop.
To learn more about open data and civic technology, please join us this weekend as Cleveland proudly hosts the first
ever TCamp held outside of the District of Columbia! There are no requirements, coding experience is not required- you
simply need an interest and a voice.
For a limited time, scholarships are available to cover the $25 registration fee. Please email my office for the
promotional code and any questions.
Transparency Camp, sponsored by the Sunlight Foundation, is being held at the Cleveland Downtown Public
Library on Friday and Saturday, October 14th and 15th. Click here for registration and additional details.
City Hall Room 216 601 Lakeside Avenue Cleveland, OH 44114 (216) 664-4238 Fax (216) 664- 3837
BCummins@clevelandcitycouncil.org THenschel@clevelandcitycouncil.org