Ponder, for a moment, this photo of a field in Manor, Texas. Outside Jennie Lane SmartPark, which is also the home to the town’s farmers’ market, hangs a large QR code that directs both residents and curious passersby to this website, which gives a brief history of the land and its re-dedication from “park” to “SmartPark.” The SmartPark now boasts free Wi-Fi and “technology training classes,” all a part of Manor’s government tech upgrade that began back in 2008.
With an estimated population of 5,468, Manor is still a small town. But its upgrade — including services like a redesigned city website, a Web app for reporting street and water issues called SeeClickFix, and a crowd-sourcing website for new ideas called Manor Labs — has made news as representing the evolution of local government into the Internet age. Manor will be hosting a two-day tech conference later this month called manor.govfresh, where city officials will meet with other municipal governments about its programs, and will even give another town — De Leon, Texas — a “Gov City 2.0 Makeover.”
Continue reading Manor, Texas: Government Evolution or Fad Solutions in the QR Code-Connected Town
Manor, Texas: Government Evolution or Fad Solutions in the QR Code-Connected Town originally appeared on Switched on Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.