Boston to Release iPhone App for Municipal Complaints

Managing a city’s complaints can be tough business, even if you just think of the volume. Then there’s sorting through the complaints to see which are valid, which to prioritize, and which can be completely ignored. Most cities have implemented some sort of nonemergency hotline designed to handle the massive numbers of calls and complaints about potholes, downed trees, and wayward neighbors setting their trash out a day early.

Boston is adding a tech-forward method for complaint managment with an iPhone app called Citizen Connect. According to the Boston Globe, the application is the first of its kind, allowing citizens to snap photos of local problems, an overstuffed public trash can, for instance, and send those photos back to City Hall for review.

One of the features that has mayor Thomas Menino excited is GPS positioning. The application makes use of the iPhone’s GPS to pinpoint a problem’s location, making it much easier to address the issue. After submitting a complaint, users will receive a confirmation number. If the problem persists, they can refer municipal employees to the original complaint.

The city plans to pay Connected Bits, a New Hampshire firm responsible for designing the program, $25,000 for a year of support and assess whether the benefit is worth the cost. I’d imagine it’s worth at least that much, something Connected Bits might be likely to notice themselves. As a first-of-its-kind technology, the east coast developer is probably anxiously awaiting positive reviews.

The application also has potential to start some hilarious tech wars. Imagine neighbors snapping shots of every minor ordinance violation on one another’s property. The influx of information could be overwhelming for a city complaint system that’s likely already under a lot of stress.

Citizens of Boston are already crying foul, claiming the announcement is just another election year promise, not likely to come to fruition. The city claims they’ve already submitted the application to Apple for approval. The application will be free on release.

What do you think? Would you use this sort of system if your city had one? Is this just going to create an army of overzealous, iPhone-toting watchdogs? Sound off in the comments.