Since city council members receive numerous emails from residents daily, including emails from the same people about the same topic, Acting Mayor Dawn Luhning wants a technological solution to handle the clutter.
Based on a brief discussion by council about this issue, Luhning will likely get her wish.
During the most recent council meeting, members voted unanimously to have the city manager work with the Information Technology department to develop a software program — such as an internal service desk ticket — for council members and the city manager to better track ongoing inquiries from residents and ensure there is a complete follow-up.
“As councillors, we get a number of inquiries. As inquiries tack on, I am finding it difficult to track them. Some might say to use paper and write them down (since) you can figure it out that way,” said Luhning. “But with technology nowadays, it would be very useful for future councils and the current one in a number of ways. … it would be a way for some history to be available for the next council if the issue comes up again.”
Another area in which this technology solution would be useful is when councillors receive the same call or email from the same resident, she continued. If they had an online system, they could log the complaint while seeing if other councillors received the same query.
Moreover, this would ensure that councillors don’t inundate city manager Jim Puffalt with emails about the same complaint.
“I really believe a service ticket provider platform (would help). I use it at my office. It’s a way for me to track what I’m doing with my clients and what my assistant is doing with the clients,” Luhning added. “I think it would be very helpful for us as a team to know that that issue at that (email) address is now with the engineering department … and is being looked at.
“And to go into one spot would be helpful for all of us.”
Many residents submit concerns online using councillors’ emails on the website, and since they must enter each address individually, councillors can’t tell who received what, said Coun. Crystal Froese. Councillors then forward those emails to Puffalt, which can happen at any time of day whenever they check their accounts.
“We’ll just streamline that communication,” she continued. “I think it also will be important for the person we’re replying to as well to know we’ve all read it and it’s been dealt with, and Mr. Puffalt can communicate to all of us, and we can all know it’s being looked after and taken care of.”
City administration is expected to return with a technological solution in the coming months.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Sept. 27.
