Freenets: cities open the electronic door.

• Author: Gleason, Nancy
• Position: Includes sidebar

From Chilliwack, British Columbia, to Key West, Florida, cities throughout the United States and Canada are providing government information on electronic networks, including home pages on the World Wide Web (see accompanying sidebar) and freenets. Freenets offer citizens access to electronic information without the connection charges typically associated with private-sector network providers. Compared to the often-daunting and information-packed Internet, local electronic networks have certain practical advantages: citizens can communicate easily with city officials; conduct local government transactions without going to a government office; and obtain information about local services, businesses, and events.

The Blacksburg Electronic Village, an elaborate and highly publicized local government freenet, has progressed through cyberspace at leaps and bounds due to the community's technological background. Blacksburg's citizens were not strangers to technology, with more than half of the households owning personal computers, and the town's major university - Virginia Polytechnic and State University, "Virginia Tech" - had a sophisticated data network as well as faculty and staff experienced with computers and communications. The local electronic network has linked citizens to each other, to their government, and to local businesses. Stores and restaurants post sale notices, coupons, and pictures of merchandise or menu items. Citizens can apply for municipal permits and eventually will be able to pay utility bills and taxes online. The regional telephone company is installing high-density cables throughout the town which will allow users to communicate must faster than with modems that use telephone lines.

The extent to which Blacksburg can reach its citizens electronically is not impossible to imitate, even in cities where such a high-tech plexus seems virtually nonexistent. Regional telephone companies and universities are primary partners in many city freenets. Cities have joined forces with business, counties, and other communities to share costs while providing a wider range of information electronically. This article explores local government freenets, how cities are working to ensure access for all citizens, and the partnerships that are forged to make the freenets available.

Meetings, Messages, and Menus

Allowing residents to take a more active role in their community is the core of local government electronic networks. Most freenets post city council meeting agendas, so that citizens know what is going to be discussed, and the minutes, in case a resident was unable...