Any Requests?

The City of Pickerington is gaining an extra set of eyes.

Citizens can now log onto the City’s website at www.pickerington.net to provide a crime tip, report a code violation or even request a pothole be fixed.

On the City’s updated home page, there is a “City Request Center” (CRC) link in the middle of the page that allows residents to click on a tab and report a problem.

When they open the CRC link, residents have four options on a drop-down bar to choose from: code violations, crime tips, public information requests and service requests.

If they are making a service request, there is a place to check-mark the type of assistance needed. Requests for service suggestions range from curb/sidewalk repair to the pick-up of dead animals on roadways.

There is even a box to mark “other” if none of the 11 categories applies to the situation.

While other cities have similar “3-1-1” services, this enhanced, interactive website program was designed specifically for Pickerington, and does not direct the user to “frequently asked questions” as a way of dealing with the challenge, according to Lana Messmore, the City’s webmaster and administrative assistant to the human resources director.

“Those usually go to a page of frequently asked questions and will direct the visitor to the appropriate place in the website in which to accomplish their goal,” Messmore said.

The Pickerington site allows residents to immediately report a problem without having to navigate through pages to decide what they should do.

Residents can report situations anonymously if they choose. If they desire a response back, they can enter their email address.

“We hope for continuous improvement of the City’s responsiveness though a 24/7, easy-to-use community request center; a citywide system for prioritizing and expediting service calls; and simplified tracking of responses to requests, which allows for staff performance analysis and reporting,” Messmore said.

Residents do not have to be near a computer to send a request for help to the City.

“Residents can pull up our website on their cell phones and access the same forms they would at home on their computer without having to download a special application, or they can still call in as they have in the past,” Messmore said.

If a resident prefers to speak directly to the department, the City has recorded a directory of personnel and departments.

Service Department Stays Busy

The City of Pickerington is a carefully groomed place for residents to live, work and play.

As a result of the dedication of the 11 employees of the City’s Service and Utilities Department, new investors are taking a second look at the vibrant Violet City.

To attract new people to Pickerington while keeping it a wonderful place for residents to live, City crews stress attention-to-detail activities from picking up trash and debris along the roadways to the timely filling of pesky potholes.

City employees take the time to responsibly maintain beautiful hanging flower baskets in Olde Pickerington Village, care for City parks that invite children and sports enthusiasts to play, and rise to the occasion to perform at a minute’s notice when Mother Nature dumps a ton of snow on the City or when summer storms uproot trees or create other weather-related safety hazards.

In addition to these services, City crews are responsible for maintenance of 53 center line miles of roadways, water and wastewater operations, street sign installation, leaf pick-up, mosquito fogging, tree maintenance, grass mowing, and water meter reading.

While their “to do” list never seems to end, these crews know how important their job is to the residents of the City.

An operator is also always available to assist. For easy access, a list of City employees and department extensions can be downloaded and printed from the “Public Information” button on the website home page so that City services are always at your fingertips.

“I appreciate the proactive, attention-to-detail, results-driven approach that our City Services Department brings to work every day,” said Pickerington City Manager Bill Vance.

“All involved believe that a community’s success is based upon its establishing a status of continual improvement where our City’s collectively beneficial results are perpetual, visible and increase in frequency as time goes by,” he added.

To keep Pickerington’s residential neighborhoods in good condition, the Services Department has initiated an adopt-a-subdivision program.

“We choose a different subdivision each month and dedicate a day or two when all of our 11