Transparency Spotlight
Open and Wired
City of Lufkin’s Web site is a portal for current and would-be residents
In the Digital Age, information overload can make it hard to see the forest for the trees. For the small city of Lufkin, home to the Texas Forestry Museum, which celebrates the industry that fostered the area’s early growth, making information accessible has been a top priority for years.
Doug Wood, Lufkin’s director of finance, says the city’s financial transparency is part of this broader commitment to make it easy for its nearly 40,000 residents to stay informed of what is happening in their community. Lufkin has published its budget and financial reports online for several years, Wood says.
Lufkin’s Web site, www.CityOfLufkin.com, has earned awards for innovation, and recognition from MuniNet Guide, an online and print publication that reviews municipal Web sites. The city has used its site to let residents pay utility bills and drivers pay traffic fines online, review proposed city ordinances, track the status of projects or watch live city council webcasts. They also offer free Web hosting for nonprofit organizations in Lufkin. In addition to the city’s budget and annual financial reports dating back to 2003, Lufkin’s Web site includes water and sewer rate information as well as monthly sales tax activity. Residents can see how tax revenues compare with other cities and towns in the region.
The economic development page offers various resources, including a downloadable small business handbook, lists of available commercial properties, and an aerial map of Lufkin’s industrial park. And tweets from the city – Twitter.com/City OfLufkin – notify interested businesses of bid opportunities to provide Lufkin with needed products and services.
Lufkin is a state-certified retirement community, and the site provides information for anyone considering moving to the community to enjoy the many recreational, educational and volunteer opportunities.
Lufkin has a government-access cable channel with diverse programming. “City Hall Update” gives viewers the latest news on city programs and upcoming events. Citizens can watch the channel’s videos on the Web site’s archives, including interviews with city council members and department heads and a giraffe calf birth at Lufkin’s popular Ellen Trout Zoo. And lest you think it’s all just talking heads and birthing babies, the city also offers streaming video of the local high school football team’s action under those Friday night lights. TR
Visit the Comptroller’s Texas Ahead Web site to find stories about transparency, planning and a host of other local government best practices. Learn more about transparency at the Comptroller’s Transparency Web site.
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