MUSCATINE, Iowa–For city residents, having common concerns such as potholes, missed trash pickup, and nuisance violations addressed makes a big difference. To make it easier for residents to share these sorts of issues with the City of Muscatine, ask questions, and give feedback, the City has introduced its new Muscatine Connect – SeeClickFix app and online platform.
Though the City has provided other methods for citizens to communicate with them in the past, Kevin Jennison, communication director and public information officer for the City of Muscatine, feels Muscatine Connect will provide them with a better experience. “We’ve been exploring and researching ways to improve on what we’ve had in the past,” he said. Muscatine Connect will fully replace Citizen Request Tracker, a previous software used by the City.
After downloading the free Muscatine Connect – SeeClickFix app from the Apple or Google Play Store or accessing it on the homepage of the City’s website, citizens can select the category that most closely matches their question or concerns and then complete a short form to share their feedback. Jennison has included more than 60 subcategories for people to chose from, helping them tailor their responses and ensure that they get to the right place. In an upgrade from previous communication systems, people may mark on a map of Muscatine the location of a concern and upload pictures of it as well.
To allow two way communication, citizens have the option to provide their email address when they submit a concern or inquiry. “One of the things users can do is register with their email and we can communicate directly with them,” Jennison shared.
If people choose to provide their email, they will receive a confirmation letting them know their submission went through. Once the city assigns their messages to specific departments, they will receive notification of who will handle their messages and receive confirmation when the city resolves the issues they identified or will receive answers to their questions. “That also allows the City to follow along and make sure things get resolved in a timely manner,” Jennison added.
Because of the newness of the system, Jennison cautions that response times may prove somewhat slower in the first two months as City employees familiarize themselves with the new software. Certain issues, such as pothole filling, which depends on the outside temperature, may take longer to resolve as well.
As Muscatine residents begin using Muscatine Connect, Jennison believes it will make it easier for citizens to identify and the City to respond to many common requests. “I think it’s a great tool for citizens to help us make Muscatine better,” stated Jennison. “I totally believe this will speed up the response process because we have more eyes on the process.”
Jennison also believes Muscatine Connect will synergize well with the updates coming to the City of Muscatine’s website. Every three years, the City of Muscatine makes changes to its website, updating its look and making it more user friendly wherever possible. Jennison expects citizens to notice these changes in February or March of this year and that they, along with the new app, will improve communication with the general public. “One of our main goals is to communicate with the citizens,” he emphasized.
