Message from the Mayor
New 311/911 Era Starts to Mature
We held a meeting recently of leaders from across the spectrum of the faith community, looking to discuss ways we can better partner to better serve the public.
While the meeting was a great success and the beginning of some new partnerships for serving the homeless, those addicted to drugs, alcohol or methamphetamine something very interesting happened in the days and hours leading up to the meeting.
Martin J. Chávez, Mayor,
City of Albuquerque
Our 311 Call Center started receiving requests for information on this meeting because word of mouth had made folks we hadn’t reached aware of the meeting and they were interested in attending.
Nothing unusual about the 311 system taking calls from constituents wanting information about anything and everything under the Q City sun, but what was different this time was that we had not been steering calls for additional information to 311 like we usually do. Folks simply knew that was their one-stop shop for the answers they were looking for and so they called it on their own.
We started 311 originally after exploring ways to relieve our emergency 911 system from many of the non-emergency calls they otherwise get. And 311 has been part of the solution for quicker response times at 911.
But it has also blossomed into its own as a form of “Government 2.0”.
It used to be that we had a different hotline number for this service or that inquiry. The staff who fielded these calls were dispersed, worked set hours, and didn’t get the kind of comprehensive training and informational support we brought to bear when we began to consolidate all these different islands of service into a single shop.
Today, 311 handles over 18,000 calls per week, gets 80 % or more are answered within 30 seconds or less and 311 is able to handle 75% of inquiries or concerns right on the spot. The other 25% not only get referred over to specific departments for further follow up they get a tracking case number as well so that managers can assure that each constituent call is ultimately addressed and that people’s issues don’t go needlessly unresolved.
Like the feedback to our modern medians landscaping and 1% for Arts Program, I get overwhelmingly positive feedback from constituents about the promptness, professionalism and courtesy they experience when they call 311 with a city question or concern.
It’s hard to put a total dollar value on all the time not spent taking and transferring calls badly but I believe the additional efficiency derived from pooling these formerly disconnected ‘islands’ of customer service into a centralized focused facility means taxpayers are getting a better deal all around.
I want to thank the public for your understanding and patience as we have worked in city government to bring new best practices such as 311 online. There are sometimes bumps along the road when we first set out to make something more efficient, effective or fair. But when we have the chance to work through the issues the ultimate result — as with the 311/911 system — is savings, better service and even enhanced public safety.
Join Mayor Martin J. Chávez for the 2008 Mayor's Spring Cleanup
(Great American Cleanup)
Call 505-761-8334 now to sign up your neighborhood, group or organization to clean-up Albuquerque on Saturday, April 26, 2008, 9 a.m. to 12 Noon
CLOTHES COLLECTION
Bring your clean, reusable clothing to the Solid Waste Management Department located at
4600 Edith NE (Edith at Griegos)
March 10 - May 10, 2008
Donations will be given to the Storehouse
FREE GREEN WASTE PICKUP will be available to all City of Albuquerque Solid Waste customers ONLY on your regular trash collection day during the weeks of May 5-9 and May 12-16, 2008
Call 311 for more information
Crystal Darkness
Be a Part of the Campaign that is Sweeping the Nation!
On Thursday, April 10, 2008, the communities of New Mexico will fight back against Meth. In an historic and unprecedented event a 30-minute documentary titled “Crystal Darkness” will air in a roadblock which means it will be broadcast simutaneously on several stations in the area including KOB TV, KRQE TV, WB19, KASA Fox TV and Telemundo. A simultaneous training program will be introduced into all the schools in New Mexico to educate our children. Follow up recovery efforts, fundraising and awareness raising could make this the most important community campaign to hit our state in decades. For more information, contact Tony McConaghy, <shamrocksupply@qwest.net>, Paul Jew or Daniel C. Higbie.
Beautification and Litter Control Grants Available
Submitted By Marsha Kellogg, Executive Director, KNMB
Keep New Mexico Beautiful is soliciting applications for 2008 Beautification and Litter Control Grants. KNMB Grants support projects that improve communities, public spaces, and institutions. Grants are awarded to organizations and schools for activities such as tree planting, vegetative restoration, native plants and wildflowers, landscaping, litter control and eradication, litter clean up, educational projects, trash receptacles, and more! See our website 
for more information or call us at 505-883-5559.
Keep New Mexico Beautiful, Inc. (KNMB) is the official clearinghouse for beautification projects in the State of New Mexico granted by the Litter Control and Beautification Act H.B. 158 as amended. We are a non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting and educating New Mexicans about beautification, xeriscape, graffiti eradication, litter control, recycling, community stewardship, volunteerism and pride in our state.
Grants are accepted for beautification activities on public property. (Activities on private property are not eligible.) Successful grants will be awarded and implemented by May 26, 2008. The approval of grants and allocation of funds is dependent upon KNMB Grant Committee review, availability of funds, the number of applications received and compliance with grant requirements set forth in our application.
Neighborhood Associations conducting beautification projects in these categories: Arbor Day, Native Plant and Landscaping, Education, Solid Waste, Litter and Recycling and KNMB Month (April) are invited to submit a grant application today.
Let us help you improve your environment and promote civic pride this spring! For more information call us at 505-883-5559 or visit our website.
Go to the main Neighborhood Newsletter page!