City taking steps in attempt to improve citizen communication

By BRENDAN MILLER on August 23, 2024.

Members on the corporate services committee heard a detailed presentation Thursday by city staff providing updates on the existing myMH Citizen Portal, available on the city’s website.

Currently more than 6,500 citizens have active accounts on the myMH Citizen Portal, which can be personalized with more than 25 widgets. Committee members were provided a demonstration by Craig Fruin, manager of application services.

Once registered, users can access their dashboard and personalize what information they receive with widgets that include categories like ‘news,’ ‘road closures’ and ‘career and volunteer opportunities.’ The information is synced with the city website and can provide up-to-date information by finding the user’s location.

A relatively new widget highlighted by Fruin shows the user-detailed property tax information including back payments, similar to the notice annually mailed to homeowners.

“So what it’s doing is it’s actually pulling information specific to me from one of our back office systems, in this case, it is our tax billing system,” explains Fruin. “You can dive into a little bit more detail where you can start looking at some of your levy information and all the different payments that have been coming out of the bank account.”

City staff are also looking at shortcomings they have experienced with how residents can contact city staff or members of council through the ‘Contact Us’ tab on the city’s website.

In an effort to improve communication around issues with complaints or concerns that may not be properly identified by residents, or incomplete submissions, the city plans to launch a short questionnaire where residents can check the boxes of departments or the names of councillors they would like to see address their issue.

“This is driven by a database that we built in the background called the Contact Us module,” says Colleen Graham, director of corporate communications. “What it allows us to do is program in contact information for every city department. No matter what page we are building on the website, we can add a component from the contact module onto that page that’s related to that content.”

As well, staff provided members of the committee progress on a ‘311-like concept’ that would facilitate and streamline communication of residents with the city and would be a similar program used by several Canadian cities.

Part of the city’s strategy to improve functionality and digital usability, the 311 hotline would make it easier for residents to report problems like potholes or non-functioning power lights, or access non-law enforcement related services.

City staff expect a consolidation to look at developing the service would cost $30,000 and would include rebranding and marketing. To implement the actual 311 service the city expects the cost would be pegged at roughly $500,000.

The committee adopted the recommendation to move the proposal in front of council in September.

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