Melrosians Reporting Potholes, Graffiti Using Mobile App

Thanks to a new mobile app that allows residents to report potholes, graffiti and other DPW-related issues, the city of Melrose has received and tended to about 50 reports since the program launched just over a month ago.

"We haven't had that many hits on it yet, but we've had about 50 so far and many of them have been from the same people," said Ann Waitt, business manager for the DPW. "Potholes and graffiti are no problem to do," she said, but requests for street paving have not been done so far.

Most of the calls have been about potholes and one user made eight reports about one graffiti incident, according to Waitt. Some of the issues reported were not actually DPW related but rather police items so the calls were directed to Police Chief Michael Lyle, according to Scenna.

One of the graffiti reports fielded by the DPW was directed to the detectives unit because it was on private property, according to Waitt.

"(The graffiti) was on the side door of the Knights of Columbus building," she said, adding that the Knights of Columbus would be tending to the graffiti. 

DPW Director John Scenna believes use of the app by more residents will increase once people are more familiar with the app.

"I think it is an awareness thing because a lot of people just don't know about (the app) yet," Scenna said. "It is out there and for the most part it is working, and behind the scenes we are working on linking this app feature with our work order system so that stuff that comes in on the app is automatically ending up in our work order system directly with our foreman."

The Commonwealth Connect mobile app, powered by SeeClickFix, is free and available for downloading for both iphones and android phones, according to a city press statement. The app is available on the SeeClickFix website.

“This is another tool for residents to enhance two way communication with city officials,” said Mayor Rob Dolan in the statement. “The grant, fully funded by the state, allowed the City to implement the smart phone app for residents to immediately report issues such as potholes, missed trash and recycling, and graffiti. This may not be for everyone but I think it will become a popular enhancement in short time.”

Residents can create a user name and then will have the ability to take a picture of the issue and report the DPW issue they would like addressed, according to the statement. Residents then receive a tracking number to see when the issue has been acknowledged and then resolved, reads the statement.

Previous Coverage

• New Smart Phone App To Help Melrose