WASHINGTON — When you dial 3-1-1 to get your local government services center…what happens? Montgomery County council member Tom Hucker says he and his colleagues on the county council wanted to check.
So Hucker—and the council—asked the County Executive Ike Leggett’s administration for access to the 3-1-1 call database. They wanted to see if the calls for service were tended to in a timely manner or if they fell through the cracks.
While Hucker is quick to say he believes most 3-1-1 calls get taxpayers the services they expect, and that most issues do get resolved, he says he was hearing from constituents that their requests for help seemed to go unanswered. Typical calls, Hucker says, included “people who wanted a road resurfacing or a stop sign or other pedestrian safety improvements and never got a reply”.
This week, Tim Firestine, the Montgomery County Chief Administrative Officer, issued a directive that will make those 3-1-1 responses accessible to council members. Under the agreement, the council members offices will have access to the request for service only: a designated staff member will examine the records to see what kind of follow-up the call generated.
Hucker says the change allows for greater transparency and better constituent service.
WTOP’s Kate Ryan contributed to this report. Follow @WTOP on Twitter and on Facebook.
