Greeley pitches 311 as one-stop entry for city services as requests top 1,200

City staff told the Greeley City Council on Tuesday that the city’s new Greeley 311 system is becoming the main entry point for non-emergency services, with more than 1,200 requests logged since launch and additional upgrades planned for phone support and future automation. The platform, launched in April, is available through a mobile app, phone line and online portal, and is intended to route requests internally so residents do not have to figure out which department handles a problem.

Assistant City Manager Kimberly Southern introduced the update, and staff said the system is designed to give residents a “clear front door” for city services. Project Manager Sarah Martinez said residents have already used it for issues ranging from traffic safety concerns to billing and permit questions. She said users can also view a citywide map of requests and status updates, and that the system is monitored during business hours, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding holidays.

Martinez said the city had recorded nearly 1,000 requests as of May and had since surpassed 1,200 by Tuesday’s meeting. Staff said the system is averaging about 3.5 to 4 requests per day, with an average closure time of about nine days and a customer satisfaction score of 3.6 out of 5. Martinez said the city is also using the platform to identify patterns in what residents are asking for and to adjust workflows, citing streetlight complaints as one example after staff found many reports needed to be directed to Xcel Energy.

Mayor Dale Hall asked how quickly residents should expect a response after submitting a request. Southern said the city is developing service-level agreements by request type and is aiming to acknowledge requests within two business days, even if the underlying work takes longer. For some Public Works issues such as potholes, she said responses have been happening in roughly "2-ish days," while more involved items like traffic studies or long-term sidewalk repairs take more time.

Mayor Pro Tem Melissa McDonald asked how the system handles urgent problems outside business hours and whether residents can track requests. Southern said requests involving after-hours emergencies direct users to call an off-hours emergency line rather than submit a ticket that would sit unattended. She also said residents who create an account can view their own submissions and updates, while anonymous reporting remains available for people who do not want to attach their name.

Staff said the next phase includes call-center technology shared between 311 and the utility billing team, which they said should make it easier to handle calls, manage queues and collect better data. Southern also said the city wants to eventually add an AI-enabled chatbot on its website so residents could create tickets that way. McDonald also asked about language access, and staff said the app currently supports English and Spanish, while phone staff can also use bilingual support and language-line resources.