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County unveils 311 GIS app for non‑emergency requests; rollout ongoing
Summary
St. Mary's County officials demonstrated a new 311 GIS citizen‑reporting system that accepts photos, routes requests to responsible staff, and includes iOS/Android apps; county said the tool has been soft‑launched and requires no new funding.
St. Mary's County officials demonstrated a new 311 GIS online application intended to streamline citizen reporting of non‑emergency problems and to route requests directly to responsible departments.
Mister Kelly of the Department of Emergency Services and Technology and George Erickson of Public Works and Transportation told commissioners the application—installed and configured beginning in September with a soft rollout in December and January—requires no new county funding. The county has run the platform with several departments and said it improves responsiveness by routing citizen submissions (including photos and GPS locations from smartphones) to the individual or crew responsible for the issue.
The app is available via a web portal and as iOS and Android mobile apps. Officials said registration is optional; registered users who provide contact information can receive status updates when a request is verified and worked. Kelly said the application was designed so a citizen can open the app, select the problem type, optionally upload a photo and submit in three taps. Departments currently configured on the system include Public Works and Transportation, Parks and Recreation, and Land Use and Growth Management; officials said they can add more departments as needed.
County staff said incoming reports undergo a staff review before appearing on the public map — a deliberate step to avoid unvalidated or duplicate posts. The platform stores work orders and sends reminders if a request is not handled within specified timeframes; staff described the tool as a replacement for paper work orders and a means to reduce lost or untracked requests.
Commissioners and staff discussed foreman mobile access, nearby crews answering new requests, and the system’s reporting tools. County officials encouraged residents to use the app for non‑emergency issues and emphasized that 911 remains the appropriate channel for emergencies.
