Q&A
Improving agency accountability in closing 311 cases
1:46:57
·
4 min
Council Member Restler and Deputy Commissioner Morrisroe discuss ways to improve agency accountability when closing 311 cases. The conversation focuses on the challenges of ensuring proper action is taken before cases are closed.
- Council Member Restler suggests making it harder for agencies to close cases without demonstrating actual work done
- The discussion highlights the impact of improperly closed cases on public trust in government services
- Deputy Commissioner Morrisroe maintains a diplomatic stance, deferring to individual agencies on their processes
- Council Member Restler emphasizes the need for policy changes to address the issue of agencies closing cases without proper action
- The conversation underscores the importance of maintaining public confidence in 311 and government services overall
Lincoln Restler
1:46:57
But I do think 311 tries hard to, through transparency, make sure that agencies are being held accountable to do their jobs.
1:47:07
Right?
1:47:07
And, you know, that's my sense coming out of operations that you've always brought that mentality to the work, and it's made a real difference, right, across in terms of efficacy of city services.
1:47:17
It's it's been enormously impactful.
1:47:23
Anything that you can say in, like, instances like this where agencies close out cases that should have been where there should have been some action or where there could have been some action.
1:47:32
Is it just that the fact that there's transparent data that we can see that they closed it out and they didn't do anything?
1:47:37
Is that I mean, it's kinda maddening because we don't have We we don't have much recourse.
1:47:43
Right?
1:47:44
Is there anything else that you could suggest or any ways that we could try to secure more responsiveness from agencies to do their jobs?
Joseph Morrisroe
1:47:52
Okay, appreciate the question.
1:47:54
I'll fall back on my experience and what we focus on.
1:47:58
We we aim to really do well with what we can control, our piece of that.
1:48:03
And hopefully, that enables everyone else that we partner with, whether it be agencies, the administration, the council, that we're getting that front end right.
1:48:12
And there's a lot of effort and a lot of focus to make that work, and we're very committed to doing that.
1:48:17
And and I mentioned in my testimony, you know, the dedicated team at 311.
1:48:21
I think from experience, you you know what the that team is like, going back to our our IDNYC days together.
1:48:27
So that's really where we put that focus.
1:48:29
And that that's our expertise.
Clifton Smith
1:48:30
Right?
Joseph Morrisroe
1:48:31
So we But then as we wanna focus in that area
Lincoln Restler
1:48:33
for agencies to close things out.
1:48:35
Right?
1:48:35
I mean, like, I appreciate the front end piece, but on the back end, and the agents like, the agencies are also using your interface and system to close out a case and say that it's fine, should we be making that harder on them if making it more adding additional hoops that they need to jump through to demonstrate that they've actually done their job?
1:48:56
Like, is that something that we should be pursuing more legislatively or operationally?
Joseph Morrisroe
1:49:02
Great.
1:49:03
Again, appreciate the question.
1:49:05
I don't have the expertise on what an agency does to go through that process.
1:49:09
Generally speaking, I don't think believe in making things harder, believe in making things easier.
1:49:14
But, yeah, it would be something that that agency and each agency Right?
1:49:18
Because, you know, they they vary in their handling.
1:49:20
So I'd have to defer to how they would handle that.
Lincoln Restler
1:49:24
I appreciate your diplomatic skills.
1:49:29
But, you know, I think that and I I certainly appreciate that instinct from a good government standpoint that we're trying to streamline things and make it easier.
1:49:37
But when folks are not complying with the spirit of the system, then I don't know what choice we have, but to make it harder for them to demonstrate that they've done the thing that they claimed they did when they're filling out the when they're completing the when they're closing out cases without having actually done any work.
1:49:58
Because that undermines public trust and confidence, and the the people who they get most I mean, in addition to the agency involved, they're just as mad at 311.
1:50:07
And they say, we're calling 311.
1:50:09
We're calling 311, and we're not getting the response.
1:50:11
And so they it makes it undermines confidence of New Yorkers in government efficacy overall.
1:50:17
And you're the front door for millions of New Yorkers every year, and you do a great job.
1:50:23
And you shouldn't be taking the brunt of that, but you do because there are agencies that are in a pro appropriately, consistently closing out cases because they don't want to enforce the law, because somebody has a a vest in the dashboard or or a parking placard or something else.
1:50:39
And there are many other examples, but that's the one that I hear about the most in my district, in my community, and I I I do think we need some shift in policy to actually get results.
1:50:50
So I appreciate your thoughtful answers.
1:50:53
We have been joined by my friend and colleague, customer member, Jim Gennaro, council member, are you really like to ask me questions?
1:50:58
Because we're about to close this panel out.
1:51:00
You're good?
1:51:00
Good.
1:51:01
Thank you.
1:51:02
He survived a marathon hearing yesterday, so we're good good to have you back today.
1:51:05
Barely.
1:51:06
Barely.
1:51:06
Barely survived.
1:51:07
Well, I just wanna thank I don't want a commissioner to I appreciate your thoughtful feedback on customer brewer's legislation.
1:51:13
I think it's a great bill, and I think your edits would make it your amendments would make it better.
1:51:17
And I just wanna thank the 3 of you for joining us today, being so generous with your time and thoughtful in answering questions.
1:51:21
We really appreciate it.
1:51:22
Thank you so much.
