The word “innovation” has been bandied about frequently in the Ansonia mayoral campaign.
I find this appropriate, because “innovative” is one of the best words to describe Mayor Cassetti and his team.
As a millennial, I find it particularly encouraging that our present administration has embraced the creative use of technology to improve city government. This is one of the many reasons I choose to pursue on seat on the Board of Alderman representing Ansonia’s Third Ward.
The innovations that I will discuss in this letter involve the use of technology to make government more accessible and transparent to residents and taxpayers. These are initiatives that have opened the doors of city hall wider than ever before.
Videotaped Meetings While not the most cutting-edge technology by any means, it must be remembered that Mayor Cassetti’s team was responsible for using grant funds to permanently install video cameras in the Board of Aldermen chambers. Meetings are now taped and shared on Facebook, and available on request at the city clerk’s office.
Videotaping city meetings was an initiative first pursued by Corporation Counsel John Marini when he served on the Board of Alderman in 2010. Mayor Cassetti and his team fully realized this initiative in 2014.
And the most recent news is that videos of aldermen meetings will be available through Comcast’s On Demand service by early 2018! Special thanks to the city’s I.T. Director David Connelly for this progress, and all his work behind the scenes.
Smartphone App Last year the Mayor and his team introduced Ansonia’s first-ever smartphone application: Access Ansonia. The app, which is available on Apple’s Itunes store and Google Play, provides residents with a way to interact with city hall right from the palm of their hands. This includes the ability to report problems, keep up with meeting schedules and receive updates.
Access Ansonia includes a STOMP Blight sub-app that allows residents to photograph blighted conditions and send the photograph, along with the geographic coordinates of the blight, straight to the city’s anti-blight enforcement officials.
I believe that the potential of this technology has yet to be fully realized, and would love the opportunity to see its use expanded. This is a project that I would be excited to tackle as alderman.
New Website Mayor Cassetti’s team also completely revamped the city website, making it much more attractive a user-friendly. The decision to integrate the city’s Facebook account with the site was a good decision.
I would like to see even more functionality with the city site, especially when it comes to use of video. This is another interest I would pursue if elected this fall.
Facebook The City of Ansonia developed a strong presence on Facebook under Mayor Cassetti that continues to grow. I think Darlene Bomba Zawisza for her dedication to moderating the site, and to the city officials that embrace communication through social media!
Ansonia’s use of technology has certainly come a long way in just four years, and I believe that this is just the beginning.
It would be an absolute privilege to help shape the future of our Innovative Ansonia as part of Mayor Cassetti’s team!
The writer is a Republican candidate for Third Ward Alderman in Ansonia.
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