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Mayor Announces New App to Report Potholes, Graffiti and More

Malden is one of six cities participating in a pilot expansion of the "Commonwealth Connect" app, first used by the city of Boston.

 

Sick of that pothole on your street? See some graffitti in your neighborhood?

Mayor Gary Christenson unveiled a new way for residents to report these problems and track the city's response Thursday: a mobile app. 

The free program, called Commonwealth Connect, will give residents the ability to report "quality of life" issues in Malden through their Android or Apple smartphones. 

Residents can report "quality of life" issues, including: potholes, streetlights, graffiti, unshoveled sidewalks, plowing/sanding, damaged signs and more. 

The program, made available to the public Thursday, is availabe in the Apple App Store and Android's Google Play

Christenson said the city received a three year grant to fund the program. 

Originally created for the city of Boston, Malden is one of only six cities part of the app's pilot expansion project. 29 other communities will receive the app later this year. 

Boston Mayor Tom Menino said that the app has "empowered residents, improved our neighborhoods and helped us delivery services that are not only more efficient but also more engaging." 

Want to try it out? Download the app for Android here, and for your iPhone here. 

Related Topics: Government

whatsup

12:16 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Is there an option to report panhandlers in front of walgreen or stop and shop or the T?
How about reporting not only the unshoveled sidewalks but also the streets that are not cleared after snow storms? What about reporting those irresponsible dog owners that doesn't clean up after their dog? How about reporting the JRM after they don't clean up after collecting recycling and garbage properly?

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Max Payne

1:13 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Walgreens and stop and shop are private properties. It's up to them to decide about having people on their property. Not the city of Malden.

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Lynette

1:13 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Wow! You want a lot LOL . Never mind the panhandlers in those two stores. How about the SHOPPERS in those two stores. It takes forever to check out because everyone always seems to have some kind of issue.

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Arthur

4:17 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Apps and Twitter and Facebook? That's wonderful but you need to have people to address the problems that you send in.

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bandparent

7:20 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013

I used the app to report potholes on my street and they were filled the same day.if you don't report them, you can't complain they aren't repaired.

jirkyrick

4:53 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Sounds like a good idea to me. Downloading the app now

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jirkyrick

4:54 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Hmm the app link for the iPhone just took me to the App Store, not to the app... What's the name of the app for apple

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Chris Caesar

2:26 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013

Hm...it seems to work for me on my laptop. Are you using the link on your mobile device, Jirkyrick? Let me know and I'll try to figure out a fix.

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jirkyrick

2:51 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013

I clicked on the link on my Itard.... Ever iPad... Only takes me to the App Store. Works fine on my android device

Greg

6:28 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Apps. Really???? How about answering the phones at City Hall, and then actually doing something about what the citizen called about. Having an App is just another way of the City ignoring what the residents are saying. I'm wondering? Did Gary set up another "Task Force" to see if this was a good idea, like he has with everything else. Apps. PLEASE.

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Greg

6:30 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

You can call City Hall now and report what ever you want without any Apps. What gets done about it is whole other story.

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Mike G.

6:46 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Great, now both methods are available.

Greg

7:04 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Both methods are available for failure. You can set up whatever means of communications you want. Getting something done???? Whole other story.

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Mike G.

7:24 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

I downloaded the app and looked around at the open and closed requests, and it looks like the requests that get submitted are being resolved.

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Chris Caesar

8:07 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

The app tracks responses to the problem as well. I think clicking a button on an app is a lot simpler than the hassle of calling the right bureaucracy to complain about.

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jirkyrick

10:29 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

I am with you on that Chris, was that the ex mayor on the last post? Oh my technology is too hard for us that miss typewriters ( oh yeh I went all analog on that)

Greg

7:26 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Well isn't that all fine and dandy for the people that have phones that have "APPS". What about the people who call City Hall and get the run around?

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Greg

10:27 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

I have a grown up phone Diana, thank you very much.

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jirkyrick

10:33 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Well you have "APPS" then ... Geeez,,,, but if your are putting your finger in the thing that goes around and clicks.. That's not a grown up phone, that's an antique

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jirkyrick

10:35 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

That kinda reminds of the joke that has a dictaphone in it... But Chris won't let me post that. ;)

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Greg

10:36 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

@rick; we're we talking to you?

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jirkyrick

10:44 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

I like technology, I am 55 years old....oooo and I know how to use them there smart phones, apps and puters and stuff. The mayor has the right idea on this. Tracking is automated, nobody can say I did not get they phone call, it will also save money as you don't need as many people to track calls....

Mike G.

7:36 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

You can use your computer to report an issue here:

http://www.cityofmalden.org/Resident-Issue-Reporting/

Sometimes phone is not the best way to resolve things. When you report an issue, you get a ticket number and then there's accountability, rather than getting someone on the phone who may or may not note your issue somewhere.

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Joe Mattick

9:51 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

WTF... Grafiti is the only way for the working man to protest the powers that hold him down. I didn't even read any of the artical or posts because i know if the artical was written and anyone who posted would be against me.

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jirkyrick

10:26 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Isn't posting on here kind of like graffiti .... And since I actually replied to this, it just goes to show you hockey season started way to late and bike riding season can't come soon enough..... Kick stands up anyone? Twist he throttle........

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Diana

10:38 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

Article. Who are you, again?

Mike G.

10:51 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

GET OFF MY LAWN, YA DANG KIDS AND YER NEWFANGLED APPETIZERS AND STUFF

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Diana

10:58 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

I KEEP PRESSING THE BUTTON, BUT MY WINGS STILL AREN'T HERE!!! F'ING MAYOR!!!

jirkyrick

10:54 pm on Thursday, February 21, 2013

I don't think the ex mayor likes the app, the next thing you know Winchester is going to be asking for this and he won't know what to do

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CALB70

3:56 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013

I give Mayor Christenson lots of credit and thanks for modernizing City Hall. Mayor Howard did not even have a computer in his office - totally mind blowing in the 21st century. Having access to the mayor and city services by e-mail, Facebook, website and now a mobile app is a good thing and one the city should correctly be pursuing. I'd rather have my concerns documented and put in a service cue rather than lost or ignored. And it will have a greater impact on accountability as Mike G. stated. You can't improve what you can't measure. Kudos to mayor on this one.

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Joe Gray

5:04 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013

App does me no good. I have Windows Phones for work and network integration. Thanks Malden. You're missing out on constituents.

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Mike G.

5:28 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013

The Windows phone has a market share of <2%, for what it's worth.

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