Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the City Services 311 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Council asks staff to research 311/app options to route nonemergency requests, reduce 911 load
Summary
Councilman Stoker asked the city to study a 311 or SeeClickFix‑style app and staff indicated they will research options, costs and staffing. Staff noted the city already has a ‘Citizen Problem Reporter’ form but the requested systems can provide real‑time tracking and department assignment.
Councilman Stoker asked the Odessa City Council on Feb. 25 to direct staff to research implementing a 311 system or a SeeClickFix‑style app to let residents report nonemergency issues and receive status updates.
Stoker said the idea is intended to make it easier for residents to report problems — potholes, broken park equipment, trash issues — without tying up 911 dispatch. “When I was visiting their retreat, they did an update about their SeeClickFix,” Stoker said, adding that an app provides transparency because users can receive updates on department assignment and completion.
City manager Richard Morton, staff member Monica and IT/operations staff Edgar (city staff) said they have started preliminary research. Monica told council the city currently hosts a “Citizen Problem Reporter” form on its CivicPlus website but acknowledged that the existing form does not show real‑time status updates. She said staff have contacted other Texas cities that employ 311 or SeeClickFix solutions and will examine options, including CivicPlus modules, third‑party vendors, app interfaces and potential staffing models to operate a 311 center.
Council and staff discussed implementation choices and costs: options range from a staff‑run 311 center (staffed seven days a week in some cities) to lower‑cost app integrations that forward reports to existing departments. Council members and staff noted any chosen system would require decisions about whether existing staff would handle ticket intake and routing or whether additional personnel — or a contracted third‑party call center — would be needed. Chief Cotton (public safety) and council members also noted a potential operational benefit: redirecting nonemergency calls could shorten dispatch handling times and improve emergency response metrics.
Morton and staff said they will return with a recommendation report that outlines vendor and in‑house options, cost estimates, staffing implications and examples of how peer cities are running similar systems.
Ending: Council directed staff to research 311/app options and return to council with costs and implementation recommendations so members can choose between a phased approach or a broader rollout.
