Monday, February 1, 2016

Richmond City Council implementing a new comprehensive web-based Meeting and Legislative Tracking Portal

RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
Richmond City Council – Richmond City Hall - 900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305 - Richmond, Virginia  23219 U.S.A.  - www.council.richmondva.gov
                                                                                                                                                                                          
COUNCIL PUBLIC INFORMATION NEWS RELEASE
IMMEDIATE RELEASE TO BE FORWARDED AND SHARED
Monday, 1 February 2016
                                                                                                                                  
Richmond City Council implementing a new comprehensive web-based Meeting and Legislative Tracking Portal
                                                    
Further increases access, efficiency, effectiveness and transparency

WHAT          (Richmond, Virginia U.S.A.) – Richmond City Council is currently implementing a new comprehensive, easy-to-use, web-based meeting and legislative tracking database portal which is designed to provide Council meeting information and legislation in an even more user-friendly format. The goal of the portal is to continue helping increase Council access, efficiency, effectiveness and transparency on behalf of all Richmond residents. It will also be more accessible for use on mobile devices, like smart phones and tablets.

      The new portal, located on the Richmond City Council website via https://richmondva.legistar.com, includes a meeting calendar complete with agendas, and a searchable database of legislation. To increase research speed on topics of interest, the legislative database includes enhanced search functions in which key word searches cull from not only the titles of legislation, but also from text of documents. The portal also includes streaming video and/or audio recordings of meetings.

      The enhanced automation of the system also significantly increases efficiency and speed of information processing and makes it even more quickly available to residents. In addition, Council's portal utilizes a cloud-based web platform that provides for increased efficiencies in data storage and retrieval.
                                                                                                                  
      The system is live now for the current year, and older databases and legacy systems are currently being converted over and incorporated into the new one. When fully implemented over the upcoming months, prior databases like the older Council Ordinance Tracking System will be phased out. The systems are targeted to be fully converted over in 2017.

      “We look forward to Council's new portal increasing efficiency and transparency and being an incredibly useful and effective tool for Richmond residents,” says The Honorable Michelle R. Mosby, President of Richmond City Council, Councilwoman, Richmond South Central 9th Voter District. “We welcome and invite everyone to check it out and let us know their feedback.”

CONTACT    For more information and to provide feedback about the new Richmond City Council Comprehensive Web-based Meeting and Legislative Tracking Database Portal, please contact Ms. Jean Capel, City Clerk, Richmond City Council Office of the City Clerk, at 804.646.7955 (tel), and CityClerksOffice@richmondgov.com


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Jason E. Hundley
Council Public Relations Specialist
RICHMOND CITY COUNCIL
OFFICE OF THE COUNCIL CHIEF OF STAFF
900 E. Broad Street, Suite 305
Richmond, VA  23219
804.646.5420 (office)
804.797.9699 (mobile)
Jason.Hundley@richmondgov.com
www.council.richmondva.gov
                                                                                                                               

MISSION The mission of Richmond City Council is to represent citizens in creating and amending local laws, providing government policy and oversight, and approving the city budget.

VISION Richmond City Council is committed to creating a vibrant community that is a great place to live, work, learn, play, visit and raise a family.