Press Release | Office of the Mayor | Westland to Launch Increased Access to Public Information in Honor of Sunshine Week

For Immediate Release | Official Press Release

PRESS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE MAYOR

36300 Warren Road | Westland, Michigan | 48185

Office 734.467.3200 | Fax 724.721.2310

WWW.CITYOFWESTLAND.COM

Westland to Launch Increased Access to Public Information in Honor of

"Sunshine Week"

Westland, MI -- The City of Westland will be participating in a nationwide initiative that acknowledges the importance of open government, called "Sunshine Week." Established in 2005, "Sunshine Week" is March 12, 2017 - March 18, 2017.

"Sunshine Week" was established in 2005 and, across the country, is marked by panel discussions, workshops and other events about using and understanding the latest developments in the freedom of information services.

In honor of the annual initiative, which occurs each year in mid-March, coinciding with James Madison's birthday and National Freedom of Information Day on March 16th, the City of Westland is relaunching the Open Government section of the City's Webpage at wwww.cityofwestland.com. New updates will make the webpage more user friendly and provide on-demand access to the most commonly requested information and documents. The City Council will also soon make council packets, used by council members, available to residents prior to council meetings.

"We want to streamline the process as efficiently and effectively as possible," commented Mayor William R. Wild. "When the latest version of the city's website was launched in 2013 primary space was allocated to promoting transparency in an OpenGov section. For 2017 we have added content and enhanced navigation, making it easier to find and streamlining the FOIA process."

"We will continue to promote transparency within the City of Westland well after Sunshine Week is over," commented Council President, James Godbout. "We plan to be ready to provide council member packets online for residents to view prior to council meetings by the first council meeting in April."

A "Sunshine Week" button is now available on the homepage of www.cityofwestland.com which will direct you to a page that provides access to the top 10 most frequently requested documents from Freedom of Information (FOIA) requests.

For more information, contact Aubrey Berman, Administrative Secretary, at (734) 467-3200.

Westland, Michigan is the state's 10th largest municipality, with a population of over 84,000 people who exhibit a great deal of pride in their All-American City. Westland has a thriving business community along with beautiful residential areas. The citizens enjoy a wide array of amenities and a quality of life that is second to none.

In 2014, Westland was rated as one of 24/7 Wall Street's America's Best 50 Cities to Live, offering residents and visitors an ideal blend of single-family affordable homes, apartments and condominiums, great schools, and access to numerous outdoor activities. Public safety is delivered by full-service, professional law enforcement and firefighting personnel. Westland Police Department, whose motto is protect and serve, provides emergency dispatch services to four cities and over 100,000 residents; the Westland firefighters are licensed paramedics who responded to over 8,000 calls for service last year, about 85% being medical based. They never forget their mission of preserving life and property.

Westland is well-known as the premier destination for shopping and dining in Wayne County with hundreds of shops and restaurants anchored by the Westland Shopping Center, on of the country's original four regional malls.

Infinite opportunities are available in Westland for the recreation aficionado including, more than 40 parks and 1,500 acres of trails, a 9-hole golf course, hockey arena, athletic fields, playscapes, a Farmers and Artisans Market and more. One of Michigan's most environmentally friendly cities, Westland has a progressive curbside recycling program with one of the highest participation rates in the nation and the City is raising the bar for cultural experiences with the placement of public art throughout the City.

The City is served by two public school districts; Wayne-Westland Community Schools serving 12,000 youth was recently named one of the Best School in Michigan by WXYZ-TV and is the proud recipient of 14 Golden Apple and two Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards. Livonia Public Schools, educating nearly 15,000 students, is proud of their MEAP/MME scores that exceed state averages and the District has also earned Golden Apple and Michigan Blue Ribbon Exemplary School Awards.

The City provides competitive incentives for those who are interested in investing in Westland, making it one of the hottest investment markets in the region. Our Fast-Track to Business Team, which consists of key decision makers who work diligently on a development plan will "cut the red tape" and expedite the approval process for new business development.