Thomson releases plan for open, transparent city government
Thomson calls for a culture of openness
With a commitment to inclusion and transparency, today Democratic candidate for Mayor Kerry Thomson outlined her plan to make city government more transparent, accessible and efficient.
“As I have done throughout my career, I want to build a culture of openness throughout my administration. I want every citizen to be welcomed to the table, to be heard, and to know with certainty that their point of view is heard and valued,” said Thomson, a longtime community leader. “And that starts with making city government as accessible as possible.”
Within the first 100 days of a Thomson administration, she would institute the following changes:
Public Information Audit. As Mayor, Thomson will appoint a citizen advisory committee to review and make recommendations on the city’s public information practices including how it advertises the release of reports and other documents, its use of technology, the accessibility to documents and services, and ways to reduce red tape to ensure local businesses, especially minority, women, and veteran-owned can compete for city contracts more easily. This group will also be asked to propose metrics for the city to meet when it comes to the disclosure of public information.
Traveling City Hall. Thomson will hold office hours and “Mayor’s Night Out” throughout the community at least once a month so citizens can talk directly to her. She will also direct city departments to hold office hours throughout the community each month, so residents can access services in their own neighborhoods
Quicker Public Information Request Turnarounds. Thomson, as mayor, will sign an executive order mandating that all city departments respond to public information requests within 48 hours and fulfill the request within 5 business days.
“From working towards a paperless government to ensuring all information is available in multiple languages, to finding new and innovative ways to engage citizens and resolve problems, I strongly believe that to get the best out of our government, we need more people at the table,” added Thomson. “These are just initial proposals, as there is much more we can do to make Bloomington a welcoming and inclusive place where everyone has a seat at the table. I look forward to continuing to hear ideas about this topic and others as I campaign throughout the community.”
This is the second in a series of announcements that Thomson is making to further outline her vision for Bloomington’s future. Earlier this month she released a statement on the need to renew partnerships with other government, educational and private sector entities to address the city’s challenges.
