Issue Closed

See what I mean?!

Your request has been accepted. Your service request ID is 14-00082757

Issue Closed

Whoa, now. The problem of poor communication by the City of Winston-Salem regarding reported issues on SeeClickFix or through the CityLink 311 app has not been "fixed." Once again, it is premature for this issue to be "closed."

Your request has been accepted. Your service request ID is 14-00082965

Issue Closed

See, for instance, Issue 874361, reported by SeeClickFix user "wolfman," who has been waiting since January 3rd for someone to provide an answer to his question, reposted here:

"Its confusing to see that the issue is "Closed" but the repair has not been made. What does "Closed" mean? That youre not going to fix the hole?"

http://seeclickfix.com/issues/874361-streets-repair

Your request has been accepted. Your service request ID is 14-00084293

Issue Closed

I had the same problem. I got a message the same day that the issue was closed but the sunken manhole remains...months later.

OH I just noticed Raymond referenced my call. I wonder if they don't understand my issue...but that's no reason to declare it "closed"

I decided to quit using the app and call CityLink directly.

The staff of CityLink continue to make very clear the case for why this is an issue and why it remains unresolved and unfixed. This issue has now been closed for the third time, without explanation and without resolution. I cannot make a better case for this matter than CityLink is making for me.

However, SeeClickFix user wolfman is not the only citizen whose questions and comments have been ignored. Look what happened with Issue 954344, submitted by ridingsma:

"Bridge Falling Apart": http://seeclickfix.com/issues/954344-bridge-falling-apart

In spite of multiple reopenings of this issue, since it has never been addressed, it was eventually archived. Use ridingsma has had to reopen it as another issue:

"Bridge STILL Falling Apart": http://seeclickfix.com/issues/986912-bridge-still-falling-apart

At the very least, I would like it to be explained what this obsessive fascination is with CityLink that requires that they CLOSE issues in spite of repeated appeals by citizens to leave them open until they are fixed or resolved.

Your request has been accepted. Your service request ID is 14-00085460

They're not perfect, but the City of Raleigh offers some nice examples of how this should really work. See, for instance:

http://seeclickfix.com/issues/272557
http://seeclickfix.com/issues/979555-signals-signs

those Raleigh examples are good - helps a lot to see a written explanation.

Another example from the last day or so: a citizen submits a report and counts on the City to address it. Instead the City appears to brush it aside. This mindless automatic "closing" of issues unnecessarily ruffles feathers and leaves people confused:

http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/990195

The same has happened for me. After SEVERAL emails of telling me the issue has been closed when it was clear the potholes I reported had NOT been addressed, they finally sent me a message telling me the problem had to be addressed by NCDOT, not by Winston-Salem. Why could they not tell me that in the FIRST email? Why? Because they do NOT CARE enough to make clear and informative communication to citizens a priority. In order to fix a problem, first you have to CARE, then you have to know what the details are, then you have to follow through until it is resolved. It's not rocket science. I also find it interesting that these emails are seen by "verified officials" yet these officials do not care enough to respond to their constituents.

Also, if you want to save money and time as an agency... responding effectively and efficiently will do the trick. Sending ONE email with a CLEAR explanation or communication about the problem, instead of several emails to frustrated citizens with no valuable information. This is not rocket science people. This is common sense communication. Clearly, someone is not doing their job at this agency.

Another citizen finds himself confused about the closing of an issue without any apparent action being taken, as shown by the comment added to this report: http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1000365-trash-and-junk-curbside-violation.

And here's another: "Trash and Junk/Curbside Collection." A citizen reports an issue, and the City tells him the issue is closed, and SeeClickFix says the issue is fixed...and the citizen knows it is not and gets frustrated at the handling of his report:

http://seeclickfix.com/issues/1000365

That was the extra large pile of tree limbs I reported, and yes it is still there. In the defense of WS, I personally think the contractor who cut down the trees (not storm damage) should be liable for the cost of removal and not the City (us the tax payer), however I think the City should enforce the code violation. I will keep you posted as to when or if the pile disappears.

Here it is, a little over two weeks after this issue was reported, and it appears clear that CityLink still doesn't get it. Just ask SeeClickFix user Chuck, who has also expressed frustration at the closing of an issue without any kind of action or helpful explanation:

http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1014568

I suggest someone do a number count of how many of these requests are created, as well as to how many are closed before something is done. I bet the number will reach 365 before this communication problem with SeeClickFix is finally resolved. Anyone care to bet with me?

I had our issued closed 3 times until I assume the city did something. The pile has been removed and I am glad to say that "the contractors" remove it themselves and the cost did not fall on the tax payer.

Issue management by the City of Winston-Salem befuddles even the president of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, who has also had an unresolved issue closed without being fixed and without explanation:

http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1013473

Here's another example of problems with how CityLink manages issue reports: inputting the wrong address into the City's Service Request system (see http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1038691). I reported the issue using the correct address, directly entered into the browser of my home computer. CityLink changed the address to half a block away and on the wrong side of the street. I reopened the issue to ask for the address to be corrected. I emailed CityLink and the Director of CityLink and have received NO RESPONSE.

CityLink is a multi-million-dollar department of the City with a promise of "One-Call Resolution" that, time and time again, fails to deliver.

I think it is time to go to news reporters, and FB, and Twitter about this. I think it is the only way you will get this resolved.

The examples keep piling up, as SeeClickFix user John found when reporting a missed collection issue: http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1045492. You can see the needless frustration by the civic-minded citizen who is looking to the City to actually fix an issue he's reported. Nystrom55 is right: somehow, the City needs to take note of this. Maybe it will take outside pressure.

SeeClickFix User Jim provides today's example of a frustrated citizen, who has taken the time to report an issue, which is summarily closed without explanation, even though the issue has not yet been fixed:

http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1068256

SeeClickFix User Allen C. is one more citizen in this long line of people confused about how and why issues get closed without being fixed: http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1071551.

Mr. Raymond Jones,
Thank you for continuing to give us details on how www.SeeClickFix continues to ignore the very citizens it is supposed to serve. I find it incredible that NO ONE appears to be at the helm of this lost ship. And I again, as you mentioned, think it is going to take outside pressures to make them acknowledge that we even EXIST to them. So I am going to see if I can find them on Face Book. Keep up the good work, my friend. I hope others will take the time and effort to do the same, instead of just complaining.

I looked for them on FB but could not find anywhere that a person could write comments. While exploring, I did come across this article that explains their process and reasoning for closing complaint reports:

http://www.journalnow.com/news/ask_sam/ask-sam-city-s-smartphone-app-for-reporting-problems-modified/article_35f2f5ce-ea76-54bc-8148-692d87e3134f.html?mode=jqm

That Ask Sam piece was recently pointed out to me. I was struck with how the City's director of marketing & communication made it sound as though issues are only closed prematurely if they involve an outside agency, like Duke Energy or the state DOT. In the meantime, I regret that we're still left with more questions than answers when it comes to the handling of issues through City Link.

Let's add a couple more confused citizens to the record on this:

http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1095353
http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1094802

The City has hinted at some recognition of the confusion for citizens at the premature closing of issues before they're resolved, but we are still lacking concrete steps in that direction. So there continue to be confused and frustrated citizens who understandably--and as directed via SeeClickFix--reopen issues that have not been fixed:

http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1103454-high-grass-weeds
http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1105276-code-enforcement-other
http://www.seeclickfix.com/issues/1109467-high-grass-weeds

Issue Closed