What is the GTRC asking for?  A continual improvement of those websites such that they would contain, over a short amount of time, the following information as laid out by the metrics outlined by the Sunshine Review:

• Budget: The website should include the current budget. Bonus points if the website shows the budgets for previous years, and a graph showing increases or decreases over time to help citizens evaluate and understand trends in local government spending.

• Meeting minutes: The website should include notices about public meetings of its governing board, and minutes of past meetings.

• Meeting agendas: The website should include agendas for upcoming meetings, and minutes of past meetings.

• Information about elected officials: The website should include names of elected officials, and their contact information, including email addresses.

• Information about administrators: The website should include the names of key administrators, and their contact information, including e-mail addresses.

• How and where to file an open records/FOIA request: The website should include the name of the person who is in charge of fulfilling open records requests, along with contact information for that person.

• Taxpayer-funded lobbying disclosure statement: If the unit of government belongs to any lobbying associations that it helps to fund by paying association or membership dues, that information should be disclosed on the government unit's website.

• Vendor contracts: The website should include copies of all vendor contracts for amounts that exceed $25,000.

• Checkbook Register: A copy of the checkbook register for the agency.

• Election information: The website should include information about elections for its governing board, including information about how candidates gain access to the ballot, when elections are held, and any other laws governing municipal elections.

• Assets: The website should show the latest audited statement of assets owned by the municipality and liabilities against those assets.

The Press Releases sent out are listed here:

Press Release for the Belknap County Commissioners:

For Immediate Release
Contact: Skip Murphy, chair
skip@granitegrok.com
603 524-4794


Gilford-- When it comes to the dollars that fund towns, counties, and state agencies in New Hampshire, taxpayers are often forced to wait for an audit to know how much money was spent and whether it’s all accounted for. The first step to transparency is simply posting the town or agency’s check register online. Right away, any taxpayer can look and see every dollar spent and to whom it was paid.

Additionally, in order to track the actions and deliberations of government bodies, citizens must be allowed access to all meeting notices, minutes, and other pertinent information. Currently, this often involves a trip to a particular agency office during business hours, difficult for those who work during those same hours. The simplest solution is to automatically place all such items online for all to see.
 
“The Gilford Republican Committee, believing that transparency and openness are among the most important principles of our Party, is calling on the Belknap County Commissioners to update the County’s website in order to allow open access to the recent past and current budget detail, check registers, meeting notices, agendas, minutes, and any other information necessary to promote an ever-growing amount of transparency and access for all. We further ask that this be accomplished as soon as possible.”




Press Release for the Town of Gilford Selectmen:

For Immediate Release
Contact: Skip Murphy, chair
skip@granitegrok.com
603 524-4794


Gilford-- When it comes to the dollars that fund towns, counties, and state agencies in New Hampshire, taxpayers are often forced to wait for an audit to know how much money was spent and whether it’s all accounted for. The first step to transparency is simply posting the town or agency’s check register online. Right away, any taxpayer can look and see every dollar spent and to whom it was paid.

Additionally, in order to track the actions and deliberations of government bodies, citizens must be allowed access to all meeting notices, minutes, and other pertinent information. Currently, this often involves a trip to a particular agency office during business hours, difficult for those who work during those same hours. The simplest solution is to automatically place all such items online for all to see.
 
“The Gilford Republican Committee, believing that transparency and openness are among the most important principles of our Party, is calling on the Board of Selectmen to update the Town’s website in order to allow open access to the recent past and current budget detail, check registers, meeting notices, agendas, minutes, and any other information necessary to promote an ever-growing amount of transparency and access for all. While we acknowledge that the present site does have a fair amount of information, we believe that more can be done. We further ask that this be accomplished as soon as possible. Given the available and existing technologies within the Town, we believe this goal is easily attainable and will be appreciated by a significant number of taxpayers and stakeholders.”




Press Release for the Gilford School Board:

For Immediate Release
Contact: Skip Murphy, chair
skip@granitegrok.com
603 524-4794

Gilford-- When it comes to the dollars that fund towns, counties, and state agencies in New Hampshire, taxpayers are often forced to wait for an audit to know how much money was spent and whether it’s all accounted for. The first step to transparency is simply posting the town or agency’s check register online. Right away, any taxpayer can look and see every dollar spent and to whom it was paid.

Additionally, in order to track the actions and deliberations of government bodies, citizens must be allowed access to all meeting notices, minutes, and other pertinent information. Currently, this often involves a trip to a particular agency office during business hours, difficult for those who work during those same hours. The simplest solution is to automatically place all such items online for all to see.
 
“The Gilford Republican Committee, believing that transparency and openness are among the most important principles of our Party, is calling on the Gilford School Board to update the District’s website in order to allow open access to the recent past and current budget detail, check registers, meeting notices, agendas, minutes, and any other information necessary to promote an ever-growing amount of transparency and access for all. While we acknowledge that the present site does have a fair amount of information, we believe that more can be done. We further ask that this be accomplished as soon as possible. Given the significant resources available within the District, and the available and existing technologies, we believe this goal is easily attainable and will be appreciated by a significant number of taxpayers and stakeholders.”