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Austin’s 311 service is more than the non-emergency equivalent to 911. It’s also a convenient, single point of contact for all City of Austin departments. If you have questions, complaints, or compliments (yes, those too!) about City of Austin services, call 311.
All 311 service requests are logged into a database and tracked. Over the years, this database, which is named Socrata, has become a treasure trove of data which is mined by City administrators when budgeting, looking for patterns (for example, graffiti popping up in a new area), and setting priorities (what area has the highest number of reported sidewalks needing repair near schools?).
The more consistently and persistently residents report service needs, the better Socrata’s data. This system puts the burden on us, the neighborhood residents, to tell the City where services are needed. I learned this during a discussion of traffic in our neighborhood. Although there were several complaints about increased traffic on Primrose, a City administrator said they’d only received one complaint via 311. Ouch.
The point I’m making here is, when it comes to City services, say something when you see something. Don’t assume someone else will do it. The goal isn’t to artificially inflate our neighborhood’s priority but rather to provide enough data to realistically portray what our neighborhood’s needs are.
You can download Austin’s 311 app and view data from Socrata at the Austin 311 webpage: http://www.austintexas.gov/department/311.
Posted by Sharon Justice, Chair,NSCNA Media Committee
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Please come to the Neighborhood Partnering Program (NPP) meeting this Saturday from 12:30-2:30 at the North Village Library. This City program helps neighborhood groups cost-share small and medium sized neighborhood projects on City owned property or in the City’s right-of-way and may be a way for North Shoal Creek to get some neighborhood improvements sooner rather than later.
You’ll learn about how the NPP works, and you’ll be asked for your ideas about what projects we need. The deadline for filing an application is October 1, so we need to get to work fast!
Please don’t miss this important meeting.
Sharon Justice, Chair, NSCNA Media Committee
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NSCNA needs volunteers to serve on this year’s Nominating Committee. This 5-member Committee is appointed each Fall to find candidates for our Association’s four officer (president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer) and seven board of director positions for the 2017 calendar year.
If you are interested in serving on this important committee, please email NSCNA Treasurer Donna Eagar at treasurer@nscna.org before August 1st.
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North Shoal Creek is in the Baker Section of Austin Police Department’s Region 1, which includes Central, West and North Austin along with Downtown. Baker Section’s next Commander’s Forum is July 27th, 6:30 – 8:00pm at Cornerstone Church, 1101 Reinli St. (between I-35 and Cameron Rd).
Plan now to be there–it’s worth your time to attend. It’s an opportunity to ask your questions about crime and safety in our neighborhood and to meet our area’s APD District Representative, Darrell Grayson.
For more info, please contact NSCNA’s Safety Committee Chair Roger Wines at safety@nscna.org.
Roger Wines, Chair, Safety Committee
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Join us for a NSCNA meeting on Saturday, July 23, 12:30pm-2:30pm at the North Village Branch Library on Steck Avenue. We will be planning our upcoming Neighborhood Partnering Program (NPP) application with the City of Austin.
We want to hear your ideas on how to make our neighborhood even better. We have already received suggestions for a
• Community Garden
• Park space
• Sidewalks
• Dog park.
The NPP provides opportunities for neighborhood organizations to affect public improvements by sharing in the costs of those efforts with the City of Austin government.
See you Sat. July 23, 12:30pm at North Village Branch Library.
Kevin Wier, Chair, Development Committee
