Friday, January 4, 2013

New App Puts Service Requests in Residents' Hands

Want to report a pothole or street light outage? The City of Sanford now has an app for that – and it’s free.

Launched this month, City residents can download the YourGOV mobile app to their Apple iPhones or Android-enabled smartphones for no charge. The app maps users’ locations and allows them to submit non-emergency issues and service requests any time of the day.

Non-emergency issues include drainage issues, vandalism, hydrant issues, illegal dumping, manhole issues, potholes, and street light outages. For all emergency issues, dial 911.

YourGov offers a “Miscellaneous” category for issues that don’t fit the other options. For instance, a person reporting an overgrown lot would choose the Miscellaneous category. Code Enforcement would then be alerted to the problem.

The City is excited to offer yet another communication option for residents. “YourGov puts the power to influence and improve our city right into residents’ hands,” explains City Manager Hal Hegwer.

“We will have 30,000 sets of eyes out there helping us spot problems and get them fixed. We hope this cutting-edge, modern technology will encourage even more citizens to join us in making the City of Sanford a great place to live,” Hegwer says.

Powerful But User Friendly

Despite its powerful capabilities, YourGOV is simple to use. The submission process requires users to complete only three steps. The app asks users to input the location, issue description, and any available photos. As soon as users submit their concern, a service request is generated at the Public Works Service Center.

The app isn’t limited to City residents. Anyone using YourGOV can report issues in the Lee County area. Once submitted, the app’s GPS technology helps Public Works direct the issue to the appropriate local organization.

Questions or Concerns?

You can report any problems with the YourGov app to the Public Works Service Center at 919-775-8247 or leave a comment below.

2 comments:

  1. Can we pay bills from the app?

    ReplyDelete
  2. Debra - This is not a bill pay app. It is for reporting issues only. You are able to pay your water bill online. Here is the link to do so: http://www.sanfordnc.net/collections/pay_bill.htm.

    Thanks!

    ReplyDelete