New Haven site of workshop for SeeClickFix clients from around the country

Ben Berkowitz, chief executive officer for New Haven-based SeeClickFix, makes a point during a presentation Wednesday at the company’s headquarters. Berkowitz was addressing representatives of some of the company’s municipal clients less Ben Berkowitz, chief executive officer for New Haven-based SeeClickFix, makes a point during a presentation Wednesday at the company’s headquarters. Berkowitz was addressing representatives of some of the ... more Photo: Luther Turmelle / Hearst Connecticut Media Photo: Luther Turmelle / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 6 Caption Close New Haven site of workshop for SeeClickFix clients from around the country 1 / 6 Back to Gallery

NEW HAVEN — Municipal department heads from communities across the United States are in New Haven this week to learn how to better use SeeClickFix, a Web and mobile phone application which has its operations based in the city.

The company, located at 770 Chapel St. , played host to the visiting department heads Tuesday for the first day of a two-day workshop. Among the topics covered in Wednesday’s workshop sessions were how to attract increased participation from community members and municipal officials.

Steve Machesney, director of marketing for SeeClickFix, said using the technology platform to engage community residents can make them more receptive to the needs of municipal departments.

“If they sense that you’re listening to them, they may be more likely to approve that bonding you need for a project,” Machesney said.

Ben Berkowitz, SeeClickFix’s chief executive officer, said the company has been doing the workshop several times a year for the past two or three years. Some of the workshops are held in New Haven, but Berkowitz said company officials have gone to cities such as Detroit and St. Petersburg, Fla., to do the programs.

“We do these to update our clients on what new features are available and to help them learn from each other,” Berkowitz said.

The company has about 340 municipal government clients, he said.

Ray Starks is a code enforcement officer for Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., a city of 25,000 located at the center of the state. Starks said the city has incorporated the SeeClickFix platform into its mobile phone application and has been using it since 2014.

“We’re really engaging more actively with the public,” Starks said. “Previously, the community’s perception was that they would try to communicate with the city and that communication would end up getting lost.”

Now, when Wisconsin Rapids residents report a problem using the city’s app, they get a push notice from the mayor’s office saying that their concern has been received and is being routed the proper department, he said. Later, the individual who reported the problem gets a report on what’s being done to fix it, Starks said.

City officials field between 110 and 120 reports of problems during an average month, he said.

Burlington, Vt., is another community that uses SeeClickFix. Virtually all of the city’s departments use it, said Bill Ward, director of code enforcement for the city.

“The police department is using it for parking-related issues,” Ward said.

Burlington is home to the University of Vermont and when students move out of their dorms and apartments each spring, Ward said there is a spike in the number of complaints to the city’s Department of Public Works about trash and large items being left curbside.

The city gets between 200 and 300 reports of problems from residents in an average month, he said. Ward estimated that about 1,500 people make use of SeeClickFix to contact Burlington officials on a regular basis.

luther.turmelle@hearstmediact.com