'Access Greenwich' -- A New Mobile App for Town Residents

“Access Greenwich” is a new tool for residents to submit requests for service or to report a problem such as a dead tree or a flooded street online with a free mobile application.

The pilot program that was officially unveiled at a Town Hall press conference Monday, will allow residents to submit issues through a web portal or with their smart phones, attach photos, and track the progress of their requests.

With a long-term plan of extending this service to cover other town departments, it is initially being introduced by the Department of Parks and Recreation. Residents will be able to report issues at town parks, playgrounds, trees, athletic fields and other areas. The plan is to run the pilot through December, evaluate the system, and then expand it to other town departments including Public Works and the Police Department, according to First Selectman Peter Tesei.

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“We have a lot of citizen inquiries coming in through our website and by phone calls and emails coming in, but it’s not as accessible to mobile devices as we’d like,” Tesei said. “This allows our residents to let us know what’s going on and even attach a photo so we can see an illustration of what the problem is.”

He added, ““It’s like the old saying, don’t tell me, show me.”

Tesei said the new app will reduce the time needed to direct a problem or issue to the appropriate town employee.

The app is available through the Apple App Store or Google Play by downloading the “Access Greenwich” app to a mobile device to submit a service request.

Senior management analyst Melissa Jones who directed the implementation of the program said that app does not work with tablet devices.

To submit a request online, visit the Parks and Recreation home page and click on “Report an Issue.” http://www.greenwichct.org/contact_us/access-greenwich/

According to Tesei, the ‘Access Greenwich’ program has been in the planning stages for about three years and the software cost between $25,000 and $30,000.

Photo: Senior management analyst Melissa Jones. Credit: Barbara Heins.