RECENT COMMENTS
You do not see this pile of debris
So I’m a huge fan of the idea of SeeClickFix as a direct communication tool between residents and the folks who provide city services. There’s this thing, though, where sometimes reported items get marked CLOSED or COMPLETED but without really addressing the citizen’s request.
A perfect and entertaining example of this is Mary’s ongoing attempt to get this pile debris removed from Venable Street. The initial request was made on November 2 and has since been marked CLOSED or COMPLETED five times, and each time Mary reopens the complaint and attaches a new photo of the pile. Two months later and guess what’s been done?
At this point, if the pile is still there when I get my truck out of the shop I’ll roll over there myself. Still, though – where is the disconnect? And would this be handled any differently if it were Grace Street?
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Yep, that sounds about right. Someone ought to question Rosalind Stewart or his/her manager on this.
this is the city’s black power infrastructure failing to provide equal services to poor black residents. it is a DISGRACE.
@3 There needs to be one more step added to the process where the user closes the trouble ticket if we’ll agree to call it that for the sake of understanding… For example if Mary initiates a ticket for debris… City services claimed to have fixed it and check that box on the ticket it isn’t closed until Mary checks actually fixed or an allotted time period has lapsed (where Mary may not have returned to website bc problem is resolved) say 60 days they automatically go away? If seen parts of Church Hill further away from Broad St almost forgotten about…
The branch that fell on and totalled my car was marked Completed three times on See Click Fix, and I even received a phone call saying “thank you for contacting the City of Richmond”. Yet there it laid in the street for six months while all manner of city dump trucks, full of debris, drove past it blind.
Having said that, neighbors have piled lots of other branches and stuff by the trash cans, and the trash guys just take it. Even big ones.
Hey John, if you need a hand I can help clean it up. Just give me 10 minutes to get over there.
If I were to guess I’d say that the city has a “this isn’t a big enough deal to us” policy, and they close the ticket based on that. If that’s the case I’d say they need a new category instead of just opened or closed. They should have a “we are ignoring this” ticket status as well.
Frank – my truck is out until at least Friday. I’ll let you know 🙂
#5…Joshua, I’m going to see if I can find that hilarious flyer. And did you know the trash pile’s been there so long it’s growing its own lawn.
Now, if you walk on Venable, you really do not see this pile of debris – See/CHPN/Fix
ive had the same experience multiple times. No explanation. Persistent ignoring on SeeClickFix. Getting the city to do anything is a full time job of calling officials within the bureaucracy until someone fears you will raise a stink. Ridiculous.
Am pleased to note that the pile is gone..nothing left but a few damp spots.
yay!
For all concerned that the mayor’s MPACT system (of which ‘See Click Fix is a part) doesn’t work quite as it is intended to work, I encourage you to attend MPACT meetings. Their times and locations are posted here on CHPN.
The system does work, with enough recreational outrage!
For the record, it was not the City that cleaned up the debris. After seeing the post this morning, I went and cleaned up the debris. I did this in part out of frustration that the SeeClickFix program is good in theory and lousy in actual execution. I also did it because I believe we obviously can’t rely on the City to fix all our problems, nor should we. While citizens cannot fix potholes, we can pick up grass and sticks off the sidewalk, which is all I did. In my earlier comment I promoted See/CHPN/Fix, which is how I view today’s action. I suggest that in the future, when there are fixes that can be done by citizens, we step up and do them, instead of waiting and waiting for the City to do it. Then we have the right to be more critical when the City doesn’t fix the things we can’t.
I agree that there are some challenges with Seeclickfix, but for a little pile of vines/sticks likes this, just put them in a super can and be done with it. We need to stop expecting government to do everything for us when we can simply do it ourselves.
Amen, Rick.
Well said Rick!
@17 I really like your phrase recreational outrage. Sometimes i think that’s what makes it work. The clogged storm drain a week or so ago is an example.
@18 Thank you, Rick, for taking care of this.
I have recently removed a bunch if stuff that the neighbors got sick of looking at myself (broken furniture, etc.). Part of what is frustrating to me is that if you call for a bulk pickup, you are told to put the item outside immediately, and then it sits there for weeks. This is especially upsetting because we have a duplex/fourplex with no alley access! Why can they give a date within 2-3 days to put the stuff out, that way folks would at least have the option of keeping it inside/out of sight until the appropriate time? When stuff sits on the street it just invites people to throw even more trash to the pile and usually gets pretty outlandish (like, a single mattress will turn into five or six!) before the city ever comes to get it.
Oh, and frequently, 311/see-click-fix fail to distinguish between yard waste and bulk collection, which delays the whole thing because they send the wrong truck!
Thanks Rick!
Comment added to this issue in the city’s site: “Dear mayor’s MPACT program people: A private citizen took care of this problem. Please close the issue…and thanks anyway.”
Rick, I disagree. The City is paid to do this stuff. If they can’t do it, then they should say that they can’t do it, rather than saying that they’ve done it when they haven’t.
Rick should be able to deduct the cost of gas and labor for doing the City’s job from his local taxes, and someone on the City’s payroll should be fired for not doing their job.
Rick, thank you very much for addressing the problem!
Yes, thanks Rick. Wish there were more people like you, Church Hill would be a lot better place.
Im having the same issue with Rosalind now:
https://en-us.seeclickfix.com/issues/1670443#new_comment