Santa Barbara Improves SB Connect App After Grand Jury Raises Concerns About Service Requests
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) — A City of Santa Barbara app designed to help residents report problems around the city is getting a closer look after a recent Santa Barbara County Grand Jury report raised concerns about how those requests are tracked and resolved.
SB Connect allows residents to report non-emergency issues including potholes, graffiti, damaged signs and other problems directly to the City.
The Grand Jury examined whether the system provides residents with a clear and transparent way to follow their complaints from the time they are submitted through resolution.
Grand Jury raises concerns about tracking requestsThe report found problems with transparency and accountability in the SB Connect process.
One concern was that residents were not always given meaningful information about what happened to their requests after they were submitted.
The Grand Jury also raised concerns about the process for closing service requests, including whether a request could be marked closed without clearly demonstrating to the resident that the underlying problem had been resolved.
The report also examined the usability of the system, including the number of steps required to submit certain types of requests.
The broader concern was whether SB Connect was providing residents with the level of tracking and follow-through they would reasonably expect from a system designed to connect them with city government.
City says it is making changesThe City says it has responded to the concerns by changing the way SB Connect requests are handled.
According to the City, new standardized workflows and additional oversight have been implemented to improve how requests are assigned, tracked and resolved.
The City also says it has put controls in place to prevent requests from being closed prematurely.
As part of the changes, the City is reviewing older SB Connect requests that went without responses.
Those requests are being sent to the appropriate City department to determine whether the reported issue is still active. Departments can then update the request, address the issue or close it if the problem has already been resolved.
What residents should expectThe goal of the changes is to make it easier for residents to understand what happens after they submit a request.
The City says SB Connect remains intended for non-emergency issues and is not a replacement for calling 911 or other emergency services.
For residents using the system, the Grand Jury report underscores the importance of being able to see whether a complaint has been received, who is responsible for addressing it and what ultimately happened.
The City says it will continue reviewing the system and making improvements based on the concerns raised in the Grand Jury report.
Your NewsChannel will continue following the City’s changes to SB Connect and whether they address the concerns raised by the Grand Jury.
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