In a 5-0 vote — Aldermen Russell Fleming, Ward 3, and Jeremy Karlin, Ward 7, were absent — the council approved a contract with Public Service Request LLC to provide a software subscription service for public service requests through Dec. 31, 2019.
That contract, paid for out of the general fund, is for $6,900.
According to council documents, PSR provides a cloud-based subscription service to allow for the public to submit a service request to city staff. For example, a person could take a picture of a pothole with their cellphone and submit the location to city staff.
The person who submits a service request would receive updates if they provide an email address.
Alderman Peter Schwartzman, Ward 5, asked City Manager Todd Thompson if the new service would be advertised or how awareness about it would spread.
"We'll use what's available to us, like including items in the water bill" or using handouts, Facebook and other means such as word of mouth, Thompson said.
Whether or not there will be an anonymous way to submit requests, another question from Schwartzman, remains to be seen.
"Typically, it's up to the city what information is required from a user ... (anonymity as an option is) something to look at as we implement it," Thompson said.
Alderman Angela Bastian, Ward 1, also asked if information would be available by ward and that was something Thompson said city staff would also would look at.
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