Tigard to launch online 'Tigard Service Request' portal Jan. 28 to centralize nonemergency service requests

The City of Tigard will launch Tigard Service Request, an online portal for nonemergency service requests, on Tuesday, Jan. 28, Assistant to the City Manager Nicole Hendrix told the City Council on Jan. 14. The portal, built on Tyler Technologies software, will let residents submit issues such as abandoned vehicles, park and trail maintenance, trees, walk/bike improvements and water problems; each submission will generate a ticket number and automated email updates.

City staff said the portal is meant to modernize service delivery, improve transparency and reduce routing delays between departments. "When they submit a ticket, they'll get a ticket number. They'll get updates if staff or team members add comments, and then when their request closes, they'll get an email for that too," Hendrix said.

Why it matters: The portal centralizes many forms previously scattered across department pages and automates internal routing so that the right team receives a request without residents needing to identify a department. Staff said the portal will also create metrics the city can use to track recurring issues and plan communications or capital work.

Key features and user guidance - Ticketing and notifications: Users must provide an email and phone number so the system can send confirmations and follow-ups. Staff said the fields are required to make the automated updates work. "We are asking for a phone number and an email...so that the automation of the system works," Hendrix said. - Location information: Users should provide a precise address when possible; a mapping component supports addresses or free-text location descriptions. - Account option: Creating an account is optional but enables request tracking, following other requests and prepopulating fields. - Desktop recommended: Hendrix said the desktop or laptop experience is recommended; mobile and tablet experiences were described as "less than ideal." Staff said telephone support will remain available for residents who cannot or do not want to use the portal. - Public view: Once submitted, requests can be viewed on a public map that clusters reports and shows status updates.

Rollout, support and outreach - Launch date: Jan. 28, 2025. Hendrix said the portal will be visible from the city website with step-by-step guidance. - Language and help: Help materials and how-to videos will be available in English and Spanish; two in-person drop-in support sessions are scheduled at the Tigard Library technology room on Feb. 1 from 10 a.m.–11 a.m. and Feb. 5 from noon–1 p.m., with a Spanish interpreter on site. - Communications: The city plans web, social and print outreach, refrigerator magnets and brochures; Hendrix said the city will also work with advisory boards and neighborhood groups to distribute materials.

Council questions and staff clarifications Councilors asked whether traffic and speeding complaints could be filed through the portal; Hendrix confirmed speeding and similar traffic items are included among the request types. Councilors also asked about the portal's ability to identify duplicate reports; Hendrix demonstrated that the form prompts users if a similar report appears to exist.

Staff noted the portal will be monitored during normal business hours even though submissions may be made 24/7. Hendrix said the city will track metrics after launch to identify high-demand request types and to adjust communications or program resources.

Ending: The council did not vote on the portal; staff said the Jan. 28 launch will proceed and the city will monitor feedback and usage after rollout.