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Simple web interface for public data requests #3

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opened 2026-08-02 16:44:16 -04:00 by mike · 0 comments
mike commented 2026-08-02 16:44:16 -04:00
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The current solution is GovTransfer, a service that Easthampton pays for. GovTransfer is optimized for the city and not for the residents making public data requests.

Problems with GovTransfer are:

  • The requests are only visible to the person who requested the data.
    • If I want to collaborate with others on public data requests, it's a pain that we're each silo'ed in our own requests and can't see what peers are requesting
  • System doesn't notify the requester when a request has been fulfilled
    • Only when there's a new comment, but if the city uploads data and doesn't comment, there's no email notification
  • No trustworthy chain of custody
    • If someone claims they obtained a document from a public records request, there's no way to prove it without requesting the same document because the requester can't prove that it genuinely came from the city

I want to create a service that layers on top of GovTransfer to do the following:

  • Requests are public by default
    • Everyone can watch my requests and download whatever data I receive
  • Requester gets email notification when documents are uploaded
  • The service tracks changes in a request's status, such as when people are assigned or when the request goes from New to Assigned to Complete
  • The service's interface can show helpful details like when the city has exceeded its deadline for responding to a request
The current solution is GovTransfer, a service that Easthampton pays for. GovTransfer is optimized for the city and not for the residents making public data requests. Problems with GovTransfer are: - The requests are only visible to the person who requested the data. - If I want to collaborate with others on public data requests, it's a pain that we're each silo'ed in our own requests and can't see what peers are requesting - System doesn't notify the requester when a request has been fulfilled - Only when there's a new comment, but if the city uploads data and doesn't comment, there's no email notification - No trustworthy chain of custody - If someone claims they obtained a document from a public records request, there's no way to prove it without requesting the same document because the requester can't prove that it genuinely came from the city I want to create a service that layers on top of GovTransfer to do the following: - Requests are public by default - Everyone can watch my requests and download whatever data I receive - Requester gets email notification when documents are uploaded - The service tracks changes in a request's status, such as when people are assigned or when the request goes from New to Assigned to Complete - The service's interface can show helpful details like when the city has exceeded its deadline for responding to a request
mike added this to the Ideas project 2026-08-02 16:57:17 -04:00
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open-easthampton/ideas#3
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