Politics & Government
Pierce County Employees Receive Open Government Award
The Washington Coalition for Open Government presented the award to four employees who were involved in improving the Pierce County website's new records page.
A team of Pierce County employees who redesigned part of the county's website to make it much easier for citizens to access public records were honored Wednesday by the Washington Coalition for Open Government.
WCOG President Toby Nixon presented the organization's Key Award to county communications director Hunter George, the project sponsor Diane Ladenburg and justice services director Al Rose. A fourth team member, county webmaster Angela Gow, has since left the county for the private sector.
Nixon presented the awards, given to individuals or organizations that have made a notable contribution to the cause of open government, during County Executive Pat McCarthy's monthly cabinet meeting.
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The website's new records page includes a list of records or information and where to find it online. The list also includes frequently requested documents from other local agencies such as the local health department. The page provides a link to instructions and forms for making records request for other records that are not available online.
The county website previously provided a public disclosure link, but it provided only a list of public records officers for each department. The new page offers links either to the records themselves or for the agencies or employees who can provide them.
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It was the second time in three years that Pierce County has been recognized by the coalition for contributions to open government.
The latest Key Award follows one given in 2010 to County Executive McCarthy for a new county policy requiring that all county email be stored in digital format for at least six years.