City of San Antonio Recognized as One of the Top Citizen-Engaged Communities in the Nation

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Oct 17, 2013, 02:34 ET

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The City of San Antonio has been designated a Citizen-Engaged Community by the Public Technology Institute. The designation recognizes excellence in multi-channel contact centers and best practices for the use of 311 services, web portal technology, telephone systems and mobile communications infrastructure. The City was among the top 13 citizen-engaged communities in the nation for 2013-2015.

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"We continue to make improvements to increase access and transparency for City services and the method by which citizens get information," said City Manager Sheryl Sculley. "This recognition validates our efforts to leverage our call center resources with the Internet to provide better service to our residents."

The Public Technology Institute's Citizen-Engaged Communities Designation Program challenges local governments to achieve high standards in citizen participation, seamless service delivery and democratic accountability. All applicants were selected for their multi-channel contact center improvements, including integrated communication channels and technology, as well as performance reporting. For the City of San Antonio, this included the newly launched 311 Mobile App and additional website information including 311 Call Center performance standards, as well as the open 311 system which maps all service requests received by the City.

One of the highlights of the City's application was the recent launch of a 311 mobile app. With the app, available for Apple and Android mobile Smartphone devices, residents can submit service request reports directly to the City of San Antonio for graffiti, junk vehicles, overgrown yards, aggressive or dead animals, pothole repair, and damaged garbage or recycle carts, among other issues. With their report submissions, residents can also attach photos, identify a location, and check the status of a report.

In addition to requesting City services through the new mobile app, residents seeking City services can utilize convenient online resources currently available, including the 311 online self-service portal where citizens can submit service requests. The services can be found at www.sanantonio.gov and are accessible 24 hours a day. For more information about the Public Technology Institute, visit www.PTI.org.

A Model City for all America: San Antonio
San Antonio is a model city for the new face of America—a diverse, progressive and globally competitive city with a solid vision for national and international economic development. In 2012, San Antonio was named an All-America City by the National Civic League. The City of San Antonio maintains a strong financial position with a "AAA" general obligation bond rating from all three major rating agencies. The Milken Institute has ranked San Antonio No. 1 on its Best-Performing Cities list. As the seventh-largest city in the United States, San Antonio is experiencing solid economic growth in 21^st century industries such as bioscience and healthcare. Biotech companies and healthcare systems in San Antonio contribute billions to the local economy. The Aerospace industry remains a dominant economic strength in San Antonio with the presence of several aviation and aerospace corporations, including the military. The military has had a significant relationship with San Antonio for more than 200 years and is home to several military commands. The city is also a cybersecurity hub; nationally recognized as a leader in the field of information security. San Antonio is positioning itself to be at the forefront of the New Energy Economy in the United States, committed to investing and creating employment opportunities in green industries. The travel industry also remains a consistent growing economy for the city, as millions of people visit San Antonio on a yearly basis. For more information, visit www.sanantonio.gov.