If you see a pothole or a damaged sign on a Quispamsis street, you can now notify the town electronically on your smartphone.

The new Q-1-1 Citizen Reporter is available on-line on the home page of the town’s website www.Quispamsis.ca. The new system is easy to use, allowing people to submit issues to a specific category, such as culverts, road maintenance or street lights, in real time on a mobile device, laptop, or desktop. The Q-1-1 service allows them to include pictures and other attachments with their submission.

Previously, citizens were able to submit municipal issues via telephone, email, social media, in person, and direct conversations with elected officials or staff. The appropriate town department was then notified to take action. It was a convoluted process, one that was difficult to track and control.

“The new Q-1-1 citizen reporter allows us to streamline how we capture this information,” said Susan Deuville, the town’s Chief Administrative Officer. “This will allow us to have measurements in place to ensure operational effectiveness.”

All requests will be assessed and prioritized based on safety concerns and operational requirements. In the event of an emergency requiring fire, police or ambulance services, residents must call 911.

“We encourage our residents to use Q-1-1 for non-emergencies,” Deuville said. “The system will allow us to respond to their issues in a timely fashion.”

Residents should continue to call Town Hall at 849-5778 for general inquiries weekdays from 8-4:30 pm. That line is answered around the clock for reports of issues requiring an urgent response from municipal operations outside of normal business hours.