Local governments are discovering they not only can inform their residents through the Internet, but call them to action as well. Technology has made it quicker and easier to provide vital information such as ordinances, minutes and public records to residents, and many communities are recognizing they can actively connect with and even empower their citizens.

To see specific examples of how some municipalities are using the Internet to connect with their citizenry, follow the links below:

	Westchester County, New York: Open Space - Open Forum. Posting the Planning Department's Open Space Plan, the County gives the public an opportunity to review it and comment in an on-line discussion board. Submissions can also be made for the County's consideration of properties to purchase which citizens believe fit the Open Space criteria.
	Tulsa, Oklahoma: Reaching Out for Enforcement Help. Citizens are given the opportunity to report a number of code violations via the city's Web site. Included are potholes, graffiti, traffic signals, signs and high grass or weeds. On-line forms are forwarded to appropriate departments. Similarly, for easier reference, Urbandale, Iowa posts its on-line forms alongside links to associated ordinances.
	Summit, Connecticut: Serving and Protecting. Not only informing, but also striving to protect, the City has instituted an emergency telephone calling system called CodeRED for mass notification of individuals and businesses in the event of an emergency or potential hazard. Those wishing to participate can register on-line through a link on the City's Web site.
	King County, Washington: Empowering Everyone. A portion of the County's Web site has been dedicated to posting proposed ordinances and the annual Budget. Upon review of the materials, citizens can submit testimony from their home computers via an e-mail form which is routed to Council members and also becomes part of the official record on the matter.

With technological advances and growing Internet access available to the public, local government continues to adapt and creatively service and engage the public as never before.

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