Governor Colyer announces the launch of Kansas Public Square

TOPEKA _ Gov. Jeff Colyer, MD., announced Friday the launch of Kansas Public Square, the state’s new website for posting meetings and minutes, adding a new layer of transparency in state government.

“The framers of our Kansas Constitution had it right when they stated that ‘all political power is inherent to the people,’” Colyer said. “Through the development of Kansas Public Square, we are ensuring our citizens are informed about their government and have the opportunity to speak up and be heard.”

Governor Colyer ordered the creation of a public meeting website with the signing of Executive Order 18-08. All Cabinet agencies, boards, and commissions under the authority of the Governor are required to post notification of all meetings subject to the Kansas Open Meetings Act. The order was one of several signed by Governor Colyer during his first days in office, aimed at improving government transparency and accountability.

Kansas Public Square was developed by the Department of Administration and the Office of Information Technology Services. The site allows for users to see meetings on a daily, weekly and monthly format, searching by the agency, board or commission. Users have the option to download the meeting notice directly to their Outlook, iCal and Google calendars.

The new site is also responsive to users whether on a PC, tablet or mobile device.

“We developed Public Square with the user in mind, incorporating features that will make it easier for citizens and others to be informed about when their government is conducting business,” said John Milburn, Director of Legislative and Public Affairs for the Department of Administration. “The site is intended to complement existing practices for notifying the public about meetings.”

The site can be found at publicsquare.ks.gov.