About Us
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Who is OpenMeeting Technologies?
OpenMeeting Technologies is a privately held Minnesota-based company that provides legislative meeting management software to council and boards. With roots in local government solutions, OpenMeeting understands the challenges local government leaders face and the solutions required to successfully deliver services to the public.
Where is OpenMeeting Technologies?
OpenMeeting is proud to be a midwestern company located in the City of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Our work ethic and values are reflected in our Minnesota-nice approach to supporting our customers and each other. 1265 Kuhn Dr Suite 140, St Cloud, MN 56301.
What is OpenMeeting Technologies?
OpenMeeting Technologies is a legislative meeting software for council and board meetings. The OpenMeeting solution, comprised of four integrated components, enables electronic voting, discussion management, voting display and agenda management.
Is the OpenMeeting solution complicated?
OpenMeeting’s design philosophy is called WYSIWYN. Translation: what you see is what you need. In other words, OpenMeeting Technologies is not developing complicated systems just to keep our developers busy, we are designing simple, purpose-built solutions with our users in mind, specifically for ease of use, and an intuitive experience. Our greatest compliment is when we hear a council or board member say, “This is easy!”
What is electronic voting for council and board meetings?
Electronic voting refers to the use of electronic devices, such as computers or tablets, to cast and count votes in an election or decision-making process. Electronic voting systems can be used in place of traditional paper ballots or hand-counted votes.
How does electronic voting work?
There are several different types of electronic voting systems, but most involve the use of a computer or device to cast and count votes. Voters may be required to register or verify their identity before casting a vote, and may be able to cast their vote using a touch screen or other input device. The votes are then recorded electronically and can be tabulated and reported in real-time.
What are the benefits of electronic voting?
Electronic voting systems offer a number of benefits compared to traditional voting methods. They can be more accurate, faster, and easier to use, and they can also be more secure against fraud or errors. Electronic voting systems can also make it easier to tally and report the results of an election or vote.
Why are councils and boards moving to electronic voting systems?
There are several reasons why councils and boards are moving to electronic voting system. One reason is that electronic voting can be faster and more efficient than traditional methods of voting. This can be especially useful in situations where a large number of members need to vote – the larger the number of members, the greater the time savings.
Electronic voting can also be more accurate than traditional methods of voting, as it can reduce the potential for errors and make it easier to tally the results. Additionally, electronic voting can make it easier for people to cast their votes, as they can do so from any location using a computer or mobile device. This can be particularly useful for people who are unable to attend council or board meetings in person.
Overall, electronic voting can provide many benefits to councils and boards and the citizens they serve, and as a result, it has become increasingly popular in recent years.
- It allows for faster and more efficient voting processes, reducing the time and effort required to count and tally votes manually.
- It provides a more secure and accurate voting system, as electronic voting systems are designed to prevent fraud and tampering.
- It removes undue influence and pressure because votes aren’t revealed until tallied.
- It allows for greater accessibility and convenience for voting members, as electronic voting systems can be accessed remotely.
- It allows for better tracking and record-keeping of votes, providing a clear and transparent record of the voting process and results.
What is a vote tally display?
A vote tally display refers to the use of technology to display the results of a legislative vote in real time. This can include the use of screens or other visual displays to show the current tally of votes as they are being counted.
What are the benefits of a voting display?
Vote tally display systems provide transparency and accountability in a legislative meeting by allowing elected members and all participants to see the current results as they are being cast. It can also help to build trust in the process by allowing people to see that their vote has been accurately counted.
What is agenda management?
Agenda management refers to the process of organizing and managing legislative agenda items for city council, county board, and school board meetings. This can include tasks such as creation, collaboration, approval, and publishing. More advanced legislative agenda management systems are cloud-based and include workflow automation.
What are the benefits of agenda management?
Modern agenda management like OpenMeeting can help to ensure that meetings are productive and efficient, by ensuring that all necessary topics are covered and that there is a clear plan for the meeting. It can also help keep participants on track and focused and provides a record of the meeting for later reference. The OpenMeeting Technologies system includes automatic production of meeting minutes and record keeping.
What is discussion management?
Council and board discussion management organizes and facilitates discussions and debates among council and board members during city council and county board meetings. This may involve setting an agenda, allocating speaking time, recognizing requests to speak, and ensuring that all members have the opportunity to participate in the discussion. Council and board discussion management are important for ensuring that meetings are productive, efficient, and fair and that decisions are made based on thorough and balanced discussions.
What are the benefits of discussion management?
Discussion management systems can make it easier for members of a legislative body to participate in discussions and collaborate, even if they are not physically present in the same location. They can also allow for the efficient organization and management of discussions and can provide a record of the conversation for later reference.
Is OpenMeeting secure?
OpenMeeting takes privacy and security very seriously. Our systems adhere to development best practices to ensure that all data are protected. All information within OpenMeeting is private and will never be shared with any third parties.
Does OpenMeeting offer training and support?
OpenMeeting operates with a customer-centric philosophy. Our customer experience is central to everything we do, and our goal is for customers to love our solution and our people. From onboarding to training and support, all the way to adoption and even advocacy.
OpenMeeting’s customer success can be reached 24/7, and responses to issues can be expected within two business days (maximum).
How long does it take to get the OpenMeeting system up and running?
We can move as fast as you want us to. We typically like to allow a month from implementation to go live. There is little, but some technical setup, and depending on priorities, we’ve had customers set up, trained, and live in just a few weeks!
City Council & County Board
Electronic Voting and Legislative Meeting Software
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