Seattle City Council Resolution 29563

A RESOLUTION concerning the City's Public Access Network (PAN), reaffirming the City's policy to have a single Internet World Wide Web site, and requesting departments to submit work plans to the Public Access Network (PAN) Management Committee.

WHEREAS, the City of Seattle is committed to using technology to make government information and services more accessible to its citizens and businesses; and

WHEREAS, the City created the Public Access Network (PAN) to make information available electronically, and to enable citizens and businesses to conduct business over the Internet; and

WHEREAS, through creating and supporting public access sites in libraries, community and neighborhood centers and other public facilities, the City provides the opportunity for all citizens to access the Internet; and

WHEREAS, although PAN is one of the most extensive City government Internet sites, in order to achieve its mission of becoming a 24 hour City Hall, departments need to identify additional ways that citizens can conduct business electronically, and

WHEREAS, it is very important for the City to maintain one identity on the Internet, so that citizens know that the information they are receiving is official information from the City of Seattle; and

WHEREAS, it is also critical to protect the integrity of the City's data and network; and

WHEREAS, the City's Data Processing Advisory Committee adopted a World Wide Web policy in November, 1994, stating the following:

All City departments will be required to use the ESD server for any web, gopher, WAIS or FTP applications. If a department would eventually like to have its own web, gopher, WAIS or FTP server, it must present a business case to OMP.

All servers that connect to the external environment, including the PAN server, the Library server, and web/gopher/WAIS/FTP servers must reside on the part of the City's network that is protected by the "firewall."

The City of Seattle will have a single external World Wide Web home page. It will be developed by the ESD PAN project staff, with input from all interested City departments, and approved by DPAC.

Web pages created by City departments will comply with some simple graphical standards to maintain a consistent City look and feel.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SEATTLE, THE MAYOR CONCURRING, THAT:

Section 1: The City Council reaffirms that all City government information posted on the Internet should be part of the Public Access Network (PAN), and should be clearly identified as information from the City of Seattle. Common navigation bars should appear on all pages to facilitate citizens finding and connecting to related information from other City departments, or contacting elected officials concerning information posted in PAN. PAN staff in the Executive Services Department (ESD) is directed to make centralized services available to all City departments, boards, commissions and other related organizations in order to assure effective coordination.

Section 2: In order to protect the integrity of the City's network, ESD's Technology Division is directed to adopt policies in 1997 assuring that all connections to the external environment are appropriately protected.

Section 3: In order to better inform our citizens about the City services they are able to access through PAN, City departments, boards, commissions and other related organizations are directed to identify any improvements or additions they plan to make in their sections of PAN during 1997. These work program items should be provided to the PAN staff and PAN Management Committee for consolidated presentation and review by the City Council Technology and Labor Policy Committee no later than June 1, 1997.

Section 4: ESD is directed to develop performance measures for its PAN services which can gauge the success of its efforts in supporting City departments, boards, commissions and other related organizations, and include these measures as part of their annual report to the Technology and Labor Policy Committee. Measures shall include items such as an annual satisfaction survey of the City departments, boards commissions and other related organizations which must rely on ESD for central services and shall address items like ESD response times for department requests for Web site improvements, success in cooperative efforts with departments in developing enhanced electronic services, and the accuracy of information presented for the public's use.

Date introduced/referred: Mar 31, 1997
Date adopted: Apr 14, 1997
Status: ADOPTED
Vote: 9-0
Committee: Technology and Labor Policy
Sponsor: PODLODOWSKI