Sheridan City Council Embraces Future, Adopts Electronic Voting Display System for Council Meetings
The City of Sheridan, Colorado, is modernizing its council meetings with the adoption of an electronic voting and display system. The city has recognized the need to improve the citizen experience and save staff time by implementing popular software that enhances transparency and efficiency.
The new system, provided by OpenMeeting Technologies, offers a range of key features that will make it easier for citizens to follow what’s happening in Sheridan’s council meetings. The new system displays the agenda, which councilmember made a motion, a second, and provides clear information on who voted and the outcome of each vote. Councilmembers vote and request to speak on tablets, the built-in request-to-speak feature creates a numbered speaker queue, ensuring fairness and transparency in discussions. The system prominently displays who has been recognized and who is in the queue for members and citizens to see. OpenMeeting Technologies has gained popularity among councils for its ease of use and visual display. As local legislative leaders strive to meet the demands for improved public experience, fairness, transparency, and efficiency, the advancements in technology and affordability are driving a wave of adoption among cities, counties, and school boards that are recognizing the benefits of modernizing their old systems. The adoption of the OpenMeeting meeting management system is expected to yield savings in staff time. The agenda builder is drag and drop, and OpenMeeting automates the logging of important meeting activities like roll call, motions, votes, and other legislative actions. This automation allows clerks to focus on other tasks, saving them time and resources. The system even captures a snapshot of the vote tally display, ensuring accuracy and accountability. Citizens who have attended meetings experiencing the new system have expressed their satisfaction with the improved council meeting experience. The large, clear and visible display of meeting actions has proven especially helpful when it’s difficult to hear or when watching a live stream online.
Darcie McCracken, City Clerk in the City of Goodyear, AZ, shared her experience with OpenMeeting, stating, “The voting system has been a great addition to the city’s new state-of-the-art council chambers. It was easy to learn and implement and helps to streamline meetings and enhance the experience of those watching in-person and online.” Kurt Gibbs, Chairman of Marathon County, WI, also praised the software, saying, “I am convinced that the more you use OpenMeeting, the more you will depend upon it as the tool that delivers those efficiencies everyone strives for in running an efficient and effective meeting.”The City of Sheridan, Colorado, has taken an important step in modernizing its council meetings. This adoption demonstrates the city’s commitment to citizen experience. By implementing the new meeting software system that saves staff time and enhances citizen engagement, Sheridan is setting a standard for other municipalities to follow in leveraging technology to deliver better council meetings.
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