Last week I posted about sending a request to several (100) cities whom used Google Analytic. The request was to be added to the GA account you can see the full request here
https://www.govloop.com/xn/detail/1154385:Topic:597747?xg_source=activity
So here is the results of what I have received so far.
Time to be responded to. (with 26 responses)
1 work day to respond = 8 cities
3 work day to respond = 6 cities
4 work day to respond = 2 cities
5 work day to respond = 4 cities
6 work day to respond = 1 cities
7 work day to respond = 5 cities
The type of responses
Stats available on the internet = 2 cities
Mesquite TX http://www.cityofmesquite.com/webreports/
Glen Dale CA http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/statistics.asp
Available on the internet but numbers are not reasonable most likely counting page requests not visitor request.
Lincoln NE http://www.lincoln.ne.gov/city/finance/dp/sysdev/webhits/index.htm
Available but not in GA format.
San Francisco CA http://www.sfgov.org/site/web_servicecenter.asp?dept=sf311
Gave Access to GA = 4 cities
Richmond VA http://www.richmondgov.com
Manchester NH http://www.manchesternh.gov
Boston MA http://www.cityofboston.gov
Santa Rosa CA http://ci.santa-rosa.ca.us
PDF Only = 6
Philadelphia http://www.phila.gov
Greensboro NC, http://www.greensboro-nc.gov
Fort Wayne IN http://www.cityoffortwayne.org
victorville ca http://ci.victorville.ca.us
Mesa AZ http://www.mesaaz.gov
Orlando FL http://www.cityoforlando.net
Waiting on permissions or policy = 6
Boise ID http://www.cityofboise.org
Philadelphia http://www.phila.gov
Lewisville KY http://www.cityoflewisville.com
Fullerton CA http://www.cityoffullerton.com
Mc Allen TX http://www.mcallen.net
Just page views = 1
Manchester NH http://www.manchesternh.gov
Does not keep the records but you might . . . = 1
Houston TX http://www.houstontx.gov( got two different messages from two different people the other person wanted a payment and snail mail.
forwarded to our Web administrators for consideration = 1
Las Vegas NV http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov
Please pay a fee = 1
Athens-Clarke County, GA http://www.athensclarkecounty.com
Not Using Google Analytics = 1
Coral Springs FL, http://www.coralsprings.org
No you can not have it = 2
Baltimore MD http://baltimorecity.gov
Clarksville TN http://www.cityofclarksville.com
Thornton CO http://www.cityofthornton.net
When They Say NO
Steve,
Unfortunately we do not allow access to any of our protected systems. We also do not generate analytics reports for the general public.
If you wish, you may file a Public Information Request by certified mail to the City requesting existing analytics documentation, however; this may not result in what you are trying to achieve as we do not have any existing documents available with the information you are seeking and the Public Information Act does not require us to generate documents – only provide existing ones.
I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you.
Michael A. Karr
Web Master
Office of the Mayor
City of Baltimore, Maryland
CITY OF WEST JORDAN Office of the City Attorney First Floor, City Hall 8000 South Redwood Road West Jordan, Utah 84088
Steven Hagen [email protected] 1-804 349 7688 RE: Records Request, Response
Dear Mr. Hagen: This letter responds to your Records Request, submitted by e-mail, dated August 16, 2009.
You have requested, alternatively, “to be added to” West Jordan City’s “Google analytics account with VIEW only rights”; or “to be give in PDF form a copy of the main dashboard for your city once a month for the next year”.
West Jordan City is governed by the Utah Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA). Under GRAMA, the City is required to produce “records” then in its possession in response to a clearly worded request unless those records are excluded from production under GRAMA.
GRAMA does not require that the City provide access to records it can conceivably obtain, but does not possess. State v. Spry, 2001 UT App 75. The City is also not required to create a record in response to a request for information. Godfrey v. State, 2003 UT App 195. Also, although a City may have access to a computer- accessible data base maintained and owned by another, unless the information is printed off and maintained as a record by the City, no record exists based on the access to the data base. Godfrey v. State, 2003 UT App 195. Preliminary data base searches are not “records” under GRAMA, which excludes from the definition of “record” “temporary drafts or similar materials prepared for the originator’s personal use.”
The Google data base that you reference in your records request is not owned or maintained by the City. The City does not print off and retain records from this data base, although individual City employees may look at the data base from time to time in connection with their job-related personal use.
Therefore, based on the legal authority cited and the facts of your records request, the City declines to produce records in response to your request.
The City also declines to undertake any ongoing record production requirement. If the City has records in its possession, and those records are clearly described in a request, the City will produce such records, which is a one-time event.
Pursuant to Utah Code §§ 63G-2-205 and 63G-2-410, you have the right to appeal this determination to Tom Steele, City of West Jordan City Manager, 8000 South Redwood Road, 3rd Floor, West Jordan, Utah 84088, within 30 days of the date of this letter.
cc: Melanie Briggs Jeff Robinson
Robert Thorup
Deputy City Attorney
We do have a Public Records Act law in Tennessee that governs the release of public records. The law is codified at Tennessee Code Annotated Section 10-7-503 et seq. This law only applies to requests by citizens of the State of Tennessee (see TCA Section 10-7-503(a)(2)(A)). Your email shows your phone number to be a Virginia phone number. Accordingly, you are not entitled to the records requested under the Public Records Act as you are not a resident citizen of Tennessee. Should you have any questions in this matter, please do not hesitate to call, email or write me to discuss this matter.
Lance A. Baker
City Attorney
City of Clarksville, TN
One Public Square
Clarksville, TN 37040
Mr. Hagan,
We received your request for traffic statistics for our Web site. Because Google Analytics is a software application that does not reside within the City, and is merely a tool occasionally used by the City for measures of Web traffic, we are not required to provide access to the general public. Therefore we will not be granting View Only access. Additionally, we do not regularly produce monthly reports using Google Analytics and therefore have no reports to provide with the frequency you have requested. We do produce a semi-annual report that simply measures the traffic to the City’s Web site.
____________________
Parker Dodd
Web Administrator, City of Thornton
[email protected]
303.538.7699
Very interesting. I think the next wave is really about government putting information out there proactively rather than waiting for public records requests. The default being open and closing when necessary. Not the other way around.
Steve, have you received a response from Newport News, VA? I am the one who set up that GA account and this is the first I have heard about your request (that I can remember). To what office did you send the requests?
Sam