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Board receives MyKern app update; supervisors push wider use to speed responses
Summary
The Kern County Board of Supervisors received a presentation on MyKern, the county's mobile reporting and engagement app, and voted unanimously to receive and file the update after hearing usage statistics and plans to expand outreach.
Kern County supervisors on Aug. 5 received a presentation on MyKern, the county's free mobile app that lets residents report nonemergency issues and receive status updates. Supervisor Parlier moved to "receive and file" the presentation; Supervisor Couch seconded the motion, which passed on a unanimous voice vote.
The presentation, given by Erin Briscoe Clark, chief communications officer for Kern County, outlined how the MyKern app centralizes reports for public works and parks and recreation, uses GIS mapping to place service requests in the correct supervisor district, and allows users to attach photos and receive case-tracking updates. Briscoe Clark told the board that "from August 2024 through July 2025, a total of 4,682 requests were submitted through the app." She said the top three reported issue types were potholes (1,199), illegal dumping (979), and encampments (964).
"This is a massive leap forward in the use of technology and the ability to respond in real time to the needs of our public spaces," Supervisor Perez (member, Kern County Board of Supervisors) said during discussion. Board members praised the addition of QR-code signage at parks, the adoption of GIS mapping to route issues to the correct department, and plans for an outreach campaign to increase downloads and use.
Briscoe Clark said park signage with QR codes directs residents to the App Store or Google Play and that the app also provides countywide services such as job listings, property tax payments, and road-closure notices. She noted the app is accessible via an embedded web version on kerncounty.com for residents without smartphones.
Supervisors said increased use of the app could improve accountability and reduce the time county staff spend tracking down location details. Supervisor Flores described the tool as empowering the public to be the county's "eyes and ears" on issues such as illegal dumping and encampments. Supervisor Perez and others highlighted coordination with the county's adopt-a-park program to combine volunteer efforts with the reporting tool.
Supervisor Parlier moved to receive and file the presentation; Supervisor Couch seconded. The board voted unanimously in favor (5-0).
