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August 10, 2012

Weeds, strays, trash irk TH residents

Arthur Foulkes The Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE — The Terre Haute City Council learned more about what is irking city residents at Thursday night’s regular council meeting in City Hall.

The nine-member council got a report about the city’s new 311 system, which allows people within city limits to report non-emergency problems, such as stray animals, pot holes and tall weeds, by dialing 311.

Problems can also be reported via email at 311Center@terrehaute

.in.gov or online on the city’s website at www.terrehaute

.in.gov.

The 311 system has been up and running since last year. However, it is getting more use as word spreads.

There are five City Hall employees devoted to answering 311 calls from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. No additional employees have been added to the city’s payroll to staff the system because existing employees have been able to integrate 311-telephone answering into their work days, said Molly Meeks, an official in the city’s Information Technology Department, who explained the 311 system to the council.

Calls received after regular business hours roll over to the “mayor’s action line,” Meeks said. Those calls are handled the next business day, she said.

Terre Haute is the smallest of three Hoosier cities utilizing “call center” technology, such as a 311 system, Meeks said. The other two cities are Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, she said. Fewer than 300 cities nationwide are currently using such technology, Meeks said.

So far in 2012, the most common problems reported to the 311 system have been tall weeds and grass, stray animals and reports of litter and garbage, according to figures provided to the council. Those three categories alone have generated 2,300 reports to the system.

The 311 system provides automated responses to those making reports. It also provides automatic notification of city employees and their supervisors if a problem is not addressed in a time period considered to be reasonable.

“It’s a way to make sure these requests don’t fall through the cracks,” Meeks said.

Calls to the 311 system may be anonymous, but often city employees require additional information, so caller contact information is helpful, Meeks said.

Reporter Arthur Foulkes can be reached at (812) 231-4232 or arthur.foulkes@

tribstar.com.



Top 10

Top 10 non-emergency problems reported to the city’s 311 system so far in 2012:

n Excessive weeds and/or grass 941

n Stray animals 775

n Litter & garbage 584

n Sidewalk evaluation requests 381

n Tree stump removal evaluation requests 264

n Pet cruelty/excessive population 193

n Abandoned vehicles 168

n Non-hazardous tree limbs 142

n Street light out 120

n Excessive brush/limb debris on private property 99

There are approximately 100 categories for reports to the  311 system.

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