County Releases Open Data Town Hall Results

In order to prioritize new projects, Montgomery County asked its residents what information they’d like to see online at the first “Open Data Town Hall” on Nov. 21.

The event brought dozens of people together to brainstorm and offer ideas on what’s next for the County’s data innovation program.

“For being a bit of an experiment, the Open Data Town Hall was a big success,” said Montgomery County Innovation Officer Dan Hoffman. “We got great feedback from residents and that input will go directly towards the prioritization effort in our open data implementation plan.”

Below is a look at the results of the town hall, including the information residents said should be at their fingertips:

Environment:

• County building energy efficiency
• Recycling rates in buildings
• Tree canopy law information
• Locations of resources
• Invasive Plant Map
• Green space data

Transportation:

• Traffic flow information
• Bus stop locations
• Real-time service alerts
• Toll road information

Public Safety:

• Graphic data/maps
• Crime incidents
• Dangerous intersections (collision information)
• Response times for Police and Fire Departments

Social Services:

• County facilities located on maps
• Services offered at facilities
• Languages offered at facilities
• Rates, transportation, hours at facilities
• Mental health facilities mapped

Government Operations:

• Open checkbook: spending, budget, project bids
• Where the spending is goes and to whom it goes
• Council vote tracking
• Record requests (MPIA, FOIA)

Miscellaneous:  

• School boundaries
• Election data
• Machine-readable format for SAT scores, including private schools

Find more information on the program website here.

About Valerie Bonk

Valerie Bonk is a multimedia reporter and community engagement specialist with Montgomery Community Media (MCM).

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