The city of Oxford has created a new way for citizens to ask questions, make service requests and report violations, including the all too popular outdoor furniture restriction.
The new system - called the Citizen Support Center - is an addition to the city's Web site, http://www.cityofoxford.org. The service offers citizens and Miami University students a place to electronically communicate with the city.
The Citizen Support Center took the place of an older online system called E-Gov on September 14 and the switch added more features, according to Lt. Bob Holzworth, support services commander of the Oxford Police Dept.
Violations that can be reported this way include outdoor furniture - under "Property Maintenance Code Violations" - improper parking and lot mowing.
However, the service is not all about tattling on the neighbors.
There is a section that provides space to ask a question regarding the city and an Oxford event calendar. There is also space to make service requests and appeals such as parking citation appeals and dead animal removal.
Oxford Mayor Prue Dana said she hopes the site will improve the city's relationship with Miami students by increasing communication.
"We've got the communication, you just need to know how to use it," Dana said. "The students would be less likely to pick up the phone, but more likely to go online (if they have questions)."
By going online, one can search already submitted questions or ask additional questions.
"The information center allows citizens of Oxford to search the knowledge base," Dana said. "If their question isn't listed, you have the capability to ask your own question, and then your own question is then added to the knowledge base."
Questions and requests are sent to the appropriate department, but if they are not answered within two to three days, the question is forwarded to someone else.
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"There is an internal timer within the system and (the question) ratchets up to the next person," Holzworth said.
The internal timer will be especially helpful if the person who receives the request is out of the office, said Kim Newton, assistant to the city manager.
"This way, nothing gets lost in the system," Newton said. "The Citizen Support Center is like E-Govon steroids."
The new system has sections for 10 departments including fire, community development and service requests.
"(It) helps centralize departments in the city ... so in a way, it'll help the departments streamline the way they get answers," Dana said.
To submit a question, citizens need to register for a username and password online.
"People are going to have to get a password," Dana said. "Getting a password allows the questions to be tracked (to the area of interest) and that's where it's helpful to the city."
A list of frequently asked questions are already on the Web site. Questions submitted by Oxford citizens will add to this already formed list, Newton said.
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