Local Government Services — they run the gamut from legal to recreational — and all of them are important to citizens. Sometimes people are unsure where to find information about even simple services like paying citations, licensing animals, or programs offered by the community.
The YouTown platform lets you provide a mobile service center where people can access information, get a contact number, and even find a map to locations where services are offered (Transit Authority, City Hall, Parks Department, etc.)
Keeping citizens informed about your agency’s services is a big step toward open, transparent, accessible government.
Lets get started with a quick overview what YouTown Services offer:
What services should I publish?
Consider the needs of the various segments of your community’s population: from businesses to visitors to residents, and even people moving into the area. It may be helpful to think of “FAQ’s” that people generally ask your agency:
- Where can I get a license for my pet?
- What are the hours and regulations for the tennis courts at the park?
- Are swimming classes offered by the recreation department?
- Where can I get information about the recycling program?
- Where can I get information about building permits and inspections?
- What are the options for paying my water bill? Can I pay from my phone?
- How do I pay my traffic citation?
- What transit options are offered by the city / county?
- What are the hours and regulations for the landfill / dump?
- Where can I get a passport application?
Citizens can find the answers to these questions by accessing the Services feature on the YouTown app, and finding the information that you provide there. The services your agency provides are as unique as your community — so keep people informed!
In YouTown, services are bundled together in “Services Groups” so people can easily find the services that are most relevant to their needs. Some examples of service groups could include:
- Licensing
- Permits
- Health
- Recreation or Parks
- Utilities / Sanitation
- Transit
- Municipal / County Court
- Programs
- Safety
- Tourism
Services in Real Life
To see how it all comes together, let’s look in-depth at a few services being published by agencies right now, and how they appear on the app:
Shawnee, Oklahoma has a service labeled “Municipal Court / Pay Your Citation” which includes all the information citizens need to understand exactly what’s required to take care of citations in Shawnee. There is a full description of Municipal Court hours, forms of accepted payment, how long the wait may be, and what papers / identification to bring. A link directs citizens to more information on the City of Shawnee website, and another link connects to the inbox of City Hall. A phone number and address are provided, and driving directions to the courthouse (City Hall) can be obtained right from the app.
Nanaimo, Canada publishes information about their parks department under “Recreation Services”. This is an example of a city that uses the YouTown app to connect citizens to a portion of the city website (essentially creating a mobile version of an existing site). Clicking into recreation services, residents and visitors to Nanaimo can browse Activity Guides, Trails, Parks, and more.
Morris County, New Jersey publishes county-specific services like how to get a passport, probate a will, or seek career services in Morris County. All these services contain links to further information and contact numbers.
Enid, Oklahoma has a service for residents labeled “Pay Water Utility Bill” which contains a link to an Internet bill payment service. From here, utility bills can be paid from the mobile device. Enid has also published information on forms of accepted payment and a recommendation that late payments be made in person for faster processing. A phone number and address are provided as well.
It doesn’t matter whether you are a municipality, a county, a small town, or a big city. The services you offer can be made easily accessible to citizens using the YouTown Services feature. Even if the information already appears on your website, people will appreciate the convenience of mobile access to community services — it’s just one more way to show your citizens that you care!
Tips & Tricks
Be as thorough as possible for the best results. Here are a few more tips:
- Tell them what to bring — whether it’s paperwork, forms of payment, or a photo ID, this information helps citizens prepare and saves them time.
- Add contact info for each service you publish — an e-mail or phone number that people can use if they have questions. Make this info as service-specific as possible. (Hint: don’t just put the City Clerk’s mailbox on every service you publish — connect people to the right department!)
- Add a URL if people can find more information about the service somewhere online, whether it’s a link to a page of your municipal website or even a link to online payment services. (For example, this can enable residents to pay their utility bill right from their mobile phones!)
Keep an eye on the blog for more tips and tricks about other YouTown features… coming soon.