Free tools designed to help people relay concerns to staff in real time
Sarasota County has launched two new digital tools designed to provide the public “with additional ways to engage with their government,” the county has announced.
First, the county has partnered with SeeClickFix on a new platform that will allow the public to report quality-of-life issues and request county services, a news release explains.
With the free SeeClickFix mobile app and web tools, Sarasota County residents will be able to provide county staff with pictures, videos, specific descriptions and real-time locations with their reports or requests, the release points out. People can report non-emergency issues — from traffic hazards such as potholes to inoperable traffic signals — as well as view and comment on problems submitted by their neighbors, the release adds. They can even create their own “watch areas” to receive notifications about all the issues reported in their communities, enabling them to follow the progress of every service request, not just those they report, the release continues.
There are several ways to use SeeClickFix: Download the mobile app on Android or iPhone; visit www.scgov.net and click on the “questions, requests, comments” box; find SeeClickFix on Facebook; or log on to seeclickfix.com. The mobile app also includes buttons for other county services and features, including Sarasota County Area Transit’s trip planner, route stops and other bus information; beach and park info; evacuation zones; “pay my water bill”; and “My Waste” for trash pickup schedules, the release notes.
Another new tool is the performance dashboard available on www.scgov.net. It is designed “to be a user-friendly, interactive and dynamic way for Sarasota County citizens to view the organization’s progress toward achieving its eight strategic goals,” the release explains. Frequently updated data will give the public “a snapshot look at several performance measures” for county departments, the release says.
“These new features give Sarasota County even more ways to connect and engage with the people we serve,” said County Administrator Tom Harmer in the release. “We strive to provide excellent service, and SeeClickFix is another avenue for the public to reach us with concerns and requests. Similarly,” he continued in the release, “the dashboard is an additional way for us to communicate with our citizens, increasing our transparency and accountability as we update them on how we’re performing.”
For more information on SeeClickFix or the public dashboard, call the Sarasota County Contact Center at 861-5000.