Let’s keep it simple Waltham: Just call 3-1-1

When your recycling bin has seen its last day, do you know who to call to get a new one? Or how about when a pothole is growing in the middle of your street? Or maybe you just want to know who’s playing at tonight’s Concert on the Common?

You might have gone to high school or maybe you go to church with someone at City Hall and can get those answers in a flash. But many residents (both new and longtime) don’t know exactly who to call. And admit it, Waltham is undoubtedly a “have-to-know-someone” kind of city. Personal relationships are great, of course, but not all residents in Waltham should have to build those before they can get a street light repaired.

That’s why as an at-large candidate for Waltham City Council I’m advocating for the implementation of a 311 Constituent Services system in our city.

Think of it. One simple, three-digit phone number that gets you to a representative (24/7) who can either answer your question immediately or direct you to the proper city department. A ticket is created on all calls and your request is then tracked and is publicly available online until it has been completed.

A 311 system can help us create the transparency and accountability at all levels that I know we sorely need in this city. And the hard data that would then be available to us over months and years would give us a true guide for building the city’s budget and allocating proper staffing in each department.

I recently visited the City of Somerville where that municipality runs a very successful 311 program. I was inspired by the efficiency it is helping to create in that city and the resulting goodwill and pride it creates in its citizens and its public employees. It makes life easier for all residents and it has freed up time for city departments to focus on bigger issues and projects.

But I have to admit that I left Somerville that day also feeling very frustrated by the prospect of trying to bring this same improvement to Waltham. But I know we can do it. And I know that all of our residents deserve this type of wise investment in our future.

Change does not come without some fears and discomfort. We must fight through those fears and not be afraid to look beyond our borders for ideas that work. We are a city of 60,000 with a strong tax base. We must not be afraid to spend appropriately to improve our services and then have the accountability in place to assure that we’re getting what we paid for.

We are a city founded on innovation. And it is time for our city to make innovative changes again that embrace the future. We must begin the process of tearing down the barriers that keep many of our neighbors from taking a greater stake in the building of that more inclusive, efficient and prosperous future for all. I’m confident that a 311 Constituent Services system will be a strong start in that process.