Got a problem pothole, troublesome trash or garish graffiti that needs fixing? The Town of Middletown has an app that can help 24/7 and makes the job easy for everyone.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Sheley at (401) 712-2221 or msheley@middletownri.com
MIDDLETOWN HELPS NOW LIVE
MIDDLETOWN, R.I. (APRIL 13, 2021) – Got a problem pothole, troublesome trash or garish graffiti that needs fixing?
Try Middletown Helps, the new SeeClickFix citizen request program offered on the town’s website or as a free app on your smartphone.
Anyone can alert the town of nonemergency issues in the community by clicking on the blue “Middletown Helps” button in the middle of the page at www.middletownri.com or by downloading the “SeeClickFix” app through mobile phone app stores. The program is also available on the town’s Facebook page.
Customers can also use the app to submit work requests for everything from sidewalk repairs, road maintenance and issues at the beaches to problems with short-term rentals, the Newport State Airport and more than a dozen others. If you spot any issues or have any concerns about the town's revamped website, enter them via "Middletown Helps" as well. The program also offers sign ups for notifications about local events and town updates.
“We’re really excited about Middletown Helps,” Town Administrator Shawn J. Brown said. “A lot of us who’ve been involved with the process have been talking about how it’s going to be a gamechanger for us and our community. It will make tracking what work needs to be done and where we should dedicate our resources that much better.”
The town contracted with CivicPlus to handle the Middletown Helps platform. That means the Manhattan, Kansas technology firm will be responsible for making sure the app functions properly, while town staff will sort requests and assign work tickets locally as they’re filed. CivicPlus is also managing the back end of the town’s completely revamped website at MiddletownRI.com online.
All the information entered into Middletown Helps will be handled safely and securely by the town and CivicPlus and no personal data will be published publicly or released to third-party vendors.
The way the program works, users click on the “Middletown Helps” button and get directed to an overhead map of the Town of Middletown. This map shows other open and closed requests submitted by anyone using the SeeClickFix program in Middletown. From there, the user will enter a physical address in the “Address Bar” and then confirm the location.
Then, users will have the opportunity to enter the type of complaint they’re looking to file from the list of close to two dozen requests. Next, a photo can be added to the request and then a description of what is being sought can be entered. Users can choose to submit their request anonymously or set up an account, which speeds up the process to file future requests and allows for updates on the application.
Once all that’s completed, the request can be submitted directly to the town to get working on. All told, no work request should take more than two or three minutes to complete.
Brown’s Executive Assistant Maureen Maurer was integral in getting Middletown Helps live. She said the way Middletown Helps is set up, it’s designed to make interacting with the town that much easier. Work requests can be submitted at any time, weekday or weekend.
“When we set this up, it was done in a way that’s intended to be as streamlined as possible,” Maurer said. “This way, people have one place they can turn to get the nonemergency help they need and track what we’re doing to address their request. It’s a really powerful tool and I know it’s going to make our customer service even better.”
Brown agreed, saying Middletown Helps will free up staff to address issues instead of getting tied up taking work orders. He said the program will also promote greater efficiencies, better productivity and increased communication between town departments. The way Middletown Helps is designed, Brown said it’s flexible and can change and grow as the town’s needs evolve over time.
“There is so much we can do with Middletown Helps and in the end, our residents, businesspeople and visitors will get even better service from the town,” Brown said. “I know there are some positive uses we’re looking to roll out as Middletown Helps gets more established – uses that should help bring our community even closer together.”
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