Gov. Kaine launches online community to allow exchange of ideas on improving govt. performance

From the office of Gov. Kaine: Governor Timothy M. Kaine today launched an online community that allows citizens to submit ideas for improving government performance and to collaborate with others to highlight those worthy of consideration through an interactive voting feature. “We are proud of our track record in government performance but are always looking for […]

September 8, 2008; 4:47 PM • by brenda p

From the office of Gov. Kaine: Governor Timothy M. Kaine today launched an online community that allows citizens to submit ideas for improving government performance and to collaborate with others to highlight those worthy of consideration through an interactive voting feature.

“We are proud of our track record in government performance but are always looking for ways to improve,” Governor Kaine said. “Through Virginia Performs, we’ve increased transparency on government performance, but in today’s launch, we are offering a new forum to highlight the very best ideas to move Virginia forward.”

The community portal at www.ideas.virginia.gov enables constituents to share their ideas, engage in discussions and play a role in improving government service. This new community will strengthen the Commonwealth’s commitment to performance by:

· Inviting members to submit ideas so that others can comment and vote on them;
· Allowing members to discuss ideas with each other and collaborate;
· Encouraging members to vote on other ideas and help promote them for implementation consideration.

Governor Kaine announced the online community at the 10th annual Commonwealth of Virginia Innovative Technology Symposium in Williamsburg. In addition, he announced the winners in Virginia’s annual Governor’s Technology Award program.

Awards were presented for excellence in use of information technology in eight categories, including three that represent the unique challenges of localities, higher and K-12 education. New this year, the Governor’s awards program also recognizes excellence in telework programs in both the public and private sector.

The winners in each category are:

· Online, Not “In Line”
– Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, “DMME e-Forms Centers”
– Supreme Court of Virginia, “Web-enabled Virginia Secure Remote Access”

· Cross-boundary Collaboration
– Bristol Virginia Utilities and Cumberland Plateau Planning District, “OptiNet-Cumberland Plateau Project”
– Virginia Code Commission, Division of Legislative Automated Systems, Department of Planning and Budget, “Regulation Information System and Virginia Regulatory Town Hall 2.0”

· IT as Efficiency Driver
– Virginia Department of Environmental Quality, “Enterprise Content Management”

· Innovative Use of Technology in Local Government
– Franklin County, “Rural Broadband Deployment Through Public-Private Partnership”

· Innovative Use of Technology in K-12 Education
– Williamsburg-James City County Public Schools, “W-JCC Instructional Technology Standard”

· Innovative Use of Technology in Higher Education
– James Madison University, “Project: Pandemic Flu Modeling Partnership”

· Best Private Sector Telework Initiative
– Orange Business Services

· Best Public Sector Telework Initiative
– Virginia Department of Taxation

Honorees were determined independently by a judging panel of Virginia government IT professionals. Judges included representatives of state, local and educational government interests. See www.covits.org for more information.

To visit the online community, please visit www.ideas.virginia.gov.

September 8, 2008 4:47 PM 0