Open Data > Essential for An Informed Public

Is this getting out??

Published on Sep 1, 2016

Views: 30

In an exclusive interview with GeoBuiz, Ivan B. DeLoatch, Executive Director of Federal Geographic Data Committee, U.S. Geological Survey explains how open data is essential for informed public. The Open Data Initiative was launched to share and expose data and to allow additional use by citizens, companies and other federal agencies. Following the Open Government Initiative, the Obama administration launched the Open Data Initiative again with the idea of having transparency. There are some data that are bound by a license agreement, and some of those license agreements allow share the information. There is uptake of information and is going to be an area of continuous growth. Legislation is before the Congress to establish the Open Data Act which would make machine-readable data available by the law. By codifying that data, we can expect to see more growth in this space.We are witnessing economic growth from open data and repurposing it for other uses. We definitely need some enhancements in existing framework. The challenge lies in taking the data, processing it and providing it in a way that is digestible by the everyday citizenry.We need to be mindful that there will be some people who will try to use information in inappropriate ways. By exposing the information, it leaves us vulnerable in some cases. We are only making that data open which we were already collecting. We are leveraging investments to repurpose data in a way that can really help inform our citizenry again. Currently, we are assisting with identifying data sets that can be used for the indicators for the Sustainable Development Goals.We are in a process of identifying where are the gaps that need to be filled. Forum should be constituted to have discussions about what is available and what is not including cost associated with that. By exposing, sharing and making information available on the Internet, we are starting to see a huge uptake in the number organizations. Open data across the boundaries is something where government need to take stand.

Economic Development Advisory Board Meeting Tue 06 Sept 2016

Meeting Notice & Agenda

Economic Development Advisory Board
City Council Chambers 57 E. 1st Street Lower Level
Tuesday, September 6, 2016 @ 7:30 AM
   


About the City of Mesa EDAB:
The Economic Development Advisory Board shall act as the advisory board to the Mesa City Council on matters pertaining to economic development, including goal setting, strategic planning, marketing and business recruitment, retention and expansion.
The membership of the Economic Development Advisory Board shall include:

• 9 voting members [3 first-term and 1 current vacancy]
• 6 ex-officio non-voting members.

Voting Members - 1 Vacant Position

Terry Benelli (17) - 2^nd Term
Executive Director
Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Phoenix
tbenelli@lisc.org

James Christensen (19) - 2^nd Term
President & CEO
Gateway Commercial Bank
jamesc@gcbaz.com

Natascha Ovando-Karadsheh, Vice Chair (17) - 1^st Term
Owner/Realtor
KOR Properties
nataschak@KORproperties.com

Dominic Perry (17) - 1^st Term
Vice President
GPE Advisors
dperry@GPE1.com

Jeff S. Pitcher, Chair (18) - 2^nd Term
Partner
Ballard Spahr, LLP
pitcherj@ballardspahr.com

Laura Snow (18) - 2^nd Term
Senior Director, Strategy and Planning
Banner Health
laura.snow@bannerhealth.com

Matt Likens (19) - 1^st Term
mlikens24@gmail.com

Deb Duvall (19) - 1^st Term
debbieduvall@cox.net

(1) Vacant Position

Ex-Officio Members

John Giles
Mayor, City of Mesa
mayor@mesaaz.gov

Chris Brady
City Manager, City of Mesa
chris.brady@mesaaz.gov

Rich Adams, GPEC Representative
President/CEO
Southwest Business Credit Service
rich.adams@nacmaz.org

Brian Campbell, GPEC Representative
Attorney
Campbell Law Group, Chartered
bcampbell@campbellazlaw.com

Jeffrey Crockett, GPEC Representative
Attorney
Crocket Law Group PLLC
jeff@jeffcrockettlaw.com

Sally Harrison
President & CEO
Mesa Chamber of Commerce
sharrison@mesachamber.org

Staff
William Jabjiniak
Economic Development Director
City of Mesa
William.jabjiniak@mesaaz.gov

Three of the ex-officio members shall be the
Mayor,
City Manager, and the
President and Chief Executive Officer of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce
 
Three may be City of Mesa representatives that are currently sitting on the Greater Phoenix Economic Council Board of Directors.

Call (480) 644-2398 for information.

AGENDA

1. Chair’s Call to Order
 
2. Items from Citizens Present

3. Approval of Minutes from August 2, 2016 meeting 

4. Visit Mesa Update

5. Southwest Redevelopment Area and Central Business District Expansion Update

6. Director’s Update

7. Other Business: 
    Next EDAB Meeting- October 4

8. Adjournment


Previous Economic Development Advisory Board Minutes and Agendas
Go here >> http://apps.mesaaz.gov/meetingarchive/meetings?body=EDAB

Campaign for President 2016: What's A Mitt Romney Voter To Do?

WHAT is a Mitt Romney voter to do?
"The man’s antithesis, the unscripted and unscrupulous Donald Trump, now leads the Republican ticket. And the other major-party candidate, Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, seems hardly palatable. . . "
That's the way this article  published on September 1, 2016 in The Economist starts off.
Many are choosing neither. Following the cue of their former standard-bearer—who has disparaged Mr Trump loudly and often—only 76% of those who voted for Mr Romney say they will select Mr Trump at the ballot box.
Romney now lives in Mormon-dominated Utah where he's hoping to put the state into play for November's election by public support for the 3rd party Libertarian ticket while enlisting other LDS politicians in Arizona to organize support - if you can't win it, spoil the election for Donald Trump.

One of the organizers in Arizona  is fellow Mormon Dave Richins, with a full-time job working for Resolution Mining, a part-time job working for citizens and families on Mesa City Council in District 1, and as reported in here today at 07:59 a.m. Mormons [and fellow conservative Republicans] will do anything they can to spoil the fun for Trump, although the last time third parties played a part other unintended things happened read more excerpts:

On Road to 270, Arizona is home to best chance for a spoiler

By THOMAS BEAUMONT

PHOENIX (AP) — If Hillary Clinton carries Arizona in November, there's a good chance it won't be because Democrats on their own have flipped a reliable GOP state they hope to win consistently someday.

Instead, Clinton and Democrats may have Gary Johnson to thank.
The Libertarian Party nominee's best chance to influence the presidential race may come in Arizona, where the former New Mexico governor appeals to a group of finicky conservatives who make up part of the GOP base.

"It could happen," said GOP Sen. Jeff Flake. "Donald Trump has managed to make this an interesting state in terms of presidential politics, and not in the way that Republicans have wanted."

Four years ago, Libertarian candidates in Arizona drew enough votes away from Republicans that Democrats Ann Kirkpatrick and Kyrsten Sinema won election to the U.S. House.
Flake, who had endeared himself to many Libertarians while serving in the House, won his Senate race that year, too.
Republican Dave Richins, a councilman in Mesa City, said Johnson is conservative on spending, but tolerant on social issues, which he calls "a pragmatic combination."
"For me, a lifelong Republican, I don't agree with everything Johnson proposes," said Richins, a Johnson organizer. "But I find his pragmatism refreshing. That's how we get things done."

 

Here's some background about the two Libertarian candidates

If you walk by some of the street boxes of free newspapers, you will notice a vertical card urging you to vote for Johnson/Weld. They are running on the Libertarian ticket. Gary Johnson is a former Republican Governor of New Mexico.
He ran for president four years ago and received about one percent of the vote.
This year, his running mate is William Weld, who is the former Republican governor of Massachusetts. Weld also ran for the U.S. Senate and was defeated by John Kerry. This patrician Brahmin I found to be one of the most unpleasant individuals I've ever interviewed. He also attempted to be Ambassador to Mexico and was never confirmed. Obviously, Weld is looking for a home and something to do. Oh, he also flirted with running for Governor of New York. Quite a checkered political past.
The Libertarian team wants you, the voters, to "help them get into the debates." (They need to poll 15 percent to gain entry.) They describe themselves as “credible, proven, capable and honest” (the last one was in bold green letters). They go on to call themselves "America's Most Successful Governors."
They probably take more votes away from Trump than Clinton. But right now their visibility and impact seem limited. Now, if they should get in one of the three debates, that could change. I really don't think they will ever reach the 15-percent threshold.
Another candidate is a total unknown. His name is Evan McMullin. He might have a serious problem getting on many state ballots.

My Man Pie Does God! . . . Is He Talkin' To Me?

Politics & Religion: O No!
One of your MesaZona blogger's favorite subjects. Pie takes it on in one of his most expletive-loaded uploads to date.
Published on Sept 4, 2016
Views: 6,130

Bridging The Elements in Tempe: 5th El Puente Theater Festival

Cultural Coalition and Childsplay Theatre announce the fifth El Puente Theatre Festival and Mask Procession happening at Tempe Center for the Arts (TCA) Sunday, October 2, 2016 from 2 - 6 p.m.
This unique celebration, supported by a grant from the City of Tempe, features an afternoon of theater, music, games and cultural performances. FREE ADMISSION to the festival includes dynamic performances by local artists, mask-making and art activities.
These two groups are thrilled to be bringing back El Puente for its fifth event. Tempe has the unique advantage to call this festival their own, bringing revitalization and enthusiasm for the arts. To kick-start this year's festival, Guerrero will be holding mask-making workshops with schools and community groups throughout the Valley

According to this press release performances begin at 2 p.m. and will continue through the afternoon, featuring:
Desert Sounds Mariachi "Sones del Desierto"
Zarco Guerrero and the Dancing Dragons
DJ Sean Derek
Ollin Yoliztli Ballet Folklorico
Barrio Stories by Borderlands Theater

Cultural Coalition, Inc., provides unique cultural programs which foster community engagement and are dedicated to the education, promotion, and development of Indigenous arts and artists in Arizona. For more information, visit http://www.culturalcoalition.com

Zarco Guerrero is a sculptor, mask maker and performance artist, born in Mesa, AZ whose family has lived in the region for centuries.
He has dedicated his artistic endeavors to create positive social change through the arts. He adopted Cesar Chavez's ideology of art as a social service. His art includes music, poetry and theatre.

• He is the founder of Xicanindio Artes (now Xico, Inc.), the Cultural Coalition, Inc., and has been instrumental in the development of Latino Arts statewide.
• He has exhibited and received international acclaim and many prestigious awards.
• In 1985, PBS broadcast a one hour documentary about his art entitled "The Mask of El Zarco".
• He received the Japan Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Arizona Governors Arts Award, the Artistic Excellence Award from American Hispanics in Higher Education and the Esperanza Teacher of the Year Award among many others.
• He also won the 2012 Ari-Zoni Award for his ground breaking work as a mask maker in Childsplay's 2011 production of The Sun Serpent.
• He is the recipient of the Doris Duke Foundation grant to present theatre to Latino communities in Arizona
• 2015 Master Fellow with the Southwest Folklife Alliance.

Stay tuned for this next event:

60 - UPNF - "Registrate Aug 1 Oct 10"

City Manager Chris Brady In The Spotlight: MesaCity Council Meeting - 8/29/2016

The final agenda for this regular meeting was featured in a post here on August 26, 2016

Notice how quickly Items on the Consent Agenda get passed . . . about 5 minutes
City Manager Chris Brady starts off with nervous giggles about 6:00 even though his updates were scheduled as the last item.
Salvatore Reza is the first to speak about the long-standing issues with Mesa Royale Trailer Park : issues of long-standing violations [25 years] that were ignored by the city or conveniently overlooked until a questionable complaint - possibly fake - came out of City Hall from "a neighbor" not identified in Mr. Brady's comments. Any questions - and they were frequently asked - about back-handed dealings and undisclosed business and/or family connections inside City Hall that might have been for personal gains - were not addressed either.
Residents alleged actions by the property were "racist'
The only thing new was revealing city negotiations for an extension of code compliance problems with the new owner, identified as 644 Main Street LLC, an out-of-state corporation registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission. No real estate or financing details were provided, although it became know that Jerry Lewis, friend of the mayor and others in city government, "had a hand" in the dealings as the registered agent for the Gene Hamm Family Trust who sold the property.
Any remedies Mesa Royale residents might have if they have to move were referred by Chris Brady to other entities other than the City of Mesa.


Published August 30, 2016
Views: 11