Collection of online tools and resources will empower residents
Annapolis, Md. (April 8, 2020) Today, Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman unveiled the new OpenArundel website with a virtual ribbon cutting and online demo.
OpenArundel gives access to powerful information and data to residents and researchers who want to explore county programs, initiatives, and demographics. This is the fulfillment of a promise Pittman made repeatedly during his campaign for county executive.
“Local government can move past partisan competition and earn the trust of the people it serves if, and only if, we make decisions based on reliable data that is presented to all residents in an inviting format,” said County Executive Steuart Pittman. “I can’t overstate the importance of our ArundelStat team and OpenArundel, the new web portal they have created. This will empower our residents to engage effectively in government decision-making, and it will guide me and other county leaders in our service to residents.”
OpenArundel offers seven main topic areas:
- COVID-19 - review programs and information about our COVID-19 response
- Budget - explore the current county budget and the budgeting process
- OpenPerformance - view progress on department performance measures
- Demographics - explore information about our county population
- Maps and GIS Apps - explore the programs and data with interactive mapping software
- OpenData - view or download data from twelve interest areas, including education, environment, planning, public safety, and transportation
- Land Use Information - explore county infrastructure, zoning, and development
The ArundelStat team is working with each county department to establish performance metrics to add to the site, and will engage with community groups to collect ideas for new site features.
“OpenArundel will provide insight into how the work across county departments comes together to serve our communities and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of county services,” said Elizabeth Funsch, ArundelStat Manager and lead for OpenArundel. “We also hope that residents will use this tool to become more informed and engaged with county government. Information is power.”
OpenArundel can be found at www.aacounty.org/openarundel.