New Milford officials unveil pothole app
NEW MILFORD — The town is partnering with website and app company SeeClickFix in an effort to help residents report potholes and hazardous conditions in town.
Residents can report a variety of issues — potholes, road hazards, fallen trees, etc. — without having to call the department of public works. Residents can also use the app to check the status of a request after filing it.
SeeClickFix, founded in New Haven, is used all over the state and country, but now New Milford has a customized page specifically for the town. The app is linked to the public works database that records problems. When a resident reports an issue via the app, it automatically populates in the department’s database as a ticket for employees to resolve.
Laurene Beattie, the director’s administrative aide, said the app has allowed the de
partment to streamline communication with the public. The only caution she gives is for locals to make sure they are reporting issues to New Mil
ford, Conn., rather than to towns with the same name in other states. She said she often receives reports about New
Milford in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The app launched last week, but the department has not received any reports from it yet, Beattie said. She anticipates reports will start coming in as more people become aware and familiarize themselves with the app.
The app is open to the general public, but the department can only respond to issues in public areas, meaning it cannot resolve an issue on personal property, Beattie said.
Beattie hopes residents will embrace the app’s smooth reporting system. She designed New
Milford’s page so residents can report an issue with just a couple of quick clicks.
Mayor Pete Bass thinks it’s “going to be great,” because now residents can track the request and have full access to the department’s process. “We’re very excited as we leverage technology to better serve our community,” Bass said.