Milwaukee County Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic, Chair of the County Board Committee on Information Technology (Project TEAM), this week officially launched the County Legislative Information Center (CLIC), a new service that provides online access to all legislation within Milwaukee County. The event included a “paper cutting” ceremony with County Clerk Joe Czarnezki and Supervisors Nikiya Harris and John F. Weishan, Jr., to symbolize the expected savings in paper and staff time.
Pictured from left: Supervisor Marina Dimitrijevic, Supervisor Nikiya Q. Harris, County Clerk Joe Czarnezki, Supervisor John F. Weishan, Jr.
CLIC allows visitors to track the progress of legislative items from their introduction through adoption or rejection. County Board and Committee meetings are all now CLICable. At the news conference, reporters received a demonstration showing how to access agendas and minutes, and how to play audio clips from items considered at Committee meetings.
“Not only does CLIC save money and use resources more efficiently, it also allows more sunshine in County government, allowing the public to participate in the most important part of County government: the crafting of public policy. This is more transparent and accountable,” Supervisor Dimitrijevic said.“The costs of installing this system will quickly be offset by savings in paper, equipment, and staff time. I’d like to thank Board Chairman Lee Holloway, my colleagues on the County Board, Board Staff, and County Clerk Czarnezki for supporting this project every step of the way. It wasn’t easy to change procedures that had been in place for many years, but it was necessary to bring us into the 21st Century.”
Project TEAM also includes representatives from County Board staff and the Department of Administrative Services Information Management Services Division. Funding for the initiative was included in the 2010 Adopted Budget and included participation from disadvantaged business enterprises. Phase two of CLIC, which could be included in the 2012 County Budget, will provide archived video from Board and Committee meetings.
Supervisor Dimitrijevic and Clerk Czarnezki will appear on Inside the County Board to discuss CLIC this Sunday, June 5, 2011 at 9:00 p.m. on News/Talk 1130 WISN radio.