Michel,

I sent the forwarded email to the p2p-foundation list last week, but have not seen it.  Was it rejected by the moderator(s)?

Steve Ediger

773-920-7350 (google voice)

505-426-7088 (mobile)

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Steve Ediger <steveediger@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Jun 14, 2018 at 1:33 AM
Subject: Participatory Government
To: P2P Foundation mailing list <p2p-foundation@lists.ourproject.org>

Hello,

I've been appointed to serve on my county's Strategic Planning Committee for Public Infrastructure via my connection to the Civic Tech.  I would like some feedback on points that I'm (and my civic tech community) making.

We started off by asking the county to implement a public, fiber optic, Internet backbone with a gateway to the Internet.

That lead to discussions about the public infrastructure, (transportation, land/buildings, health services, economic development, information technology, etc.)  In these conversations, I stressed that we need to redefine government.  Great opening, huh? 

I would appreciate your experience and feedback on how the following points will play, and how to make them play better:

1. Yes, we need full transparency. Reporting out must be full and curated for any specific audience from casual browser to full participant.
   
2. Plus, we need feedback mechanisms that actually work.  This means collecting feedback at every stage from idea through to evaluation and having that feedback inform decisions at every stage and level.
   
3. In addition, we need multi-lateral conversations government/citizens (I use that word advisedly)/business.  This means that in addition to reporting, informing decisions based on feedback, the governement needs to facilitate communications about government issues that take place between citizens and businesses.
4. The whole process looks more like a conversation about ideas and their implementation than a set of regulations and services.
5. I've also pushed for and received general agreement that we need to accommodate people who don't have access to technology, by creating clear multi-lateral communications at government buildings and throughout all agencies.

So what are your thoughts?  Is this a good tactic for bringing this to the county's attention in a manner that might result in some forward movement?

Steve Ediger