The Farmington Feed

Narrator: 00:02

Welcome to this week's episode of the Feed in 5 with your host, Caryn Hojnicki, the city's communication specialist. The Feed in 5 is a shorter version of the Farmington Feed, and it'll be a quick update of what's going on in the city of Farmington. Caryn?

Caryn: 00:16

Welcome to this week's episode of the Feed in 5. This is a special edition of the Feed in 5 since we have some exciting things that are coming this week. I have with me today, Dani, our GIS specialist, Jared, our planning coordinator, and Ed, our natural resources specialist. Welcome back, everybody.

Dani: 00:33

Thanks.

Jared: 00:33

Thank you.

Ed: 00:34

Thanks.

Caryn: 00:35

So residents can expect some positive changes for the city of Farmington this week. Dani, can you start us off by talking a little bit about what you've been working on probably almost since you started?

Dani: 00:46

Yeah. Sure. So when I started, I noticed that the Farmington Fix tool was just an email. With the Farmington Fix new application, we are incorporating GIS into the process. So where previously, you would just simply send an email to a farmingtonfix@farmingtonmn.gov, You are now filling out categorized surveys through our ArcGIS enterprise system. And there, you will fill out the type of report that you would like to submit, whether that be code enforcement or a tree issue or a park issue. And depending on what type of report you're submitting, it will be emailed to the appropriate staff. And so this streamlines the process a little bit more than before. Additionally, it adds a, GPS component. And so when you are, submitting a problem, you now have the option to put a dot where the problem has occurred. So let's say there is a porta potty issue in one of the parks. You can actually just tap on your phone where the porta potty is, and then this allows the staff here to be able to quickly locate where exactly the issue is. And then the last thing that I think is really important to include is just that you can now also include photos to your submission, and this just helps add further context to the report that you are submitting.

Caryn: 02:15

Okay. So for those of the residents that missed your previous podcast where you talked about what GIS is and what you do, can you just kinda give a little brief summary of context for them to understand how this is working a little bit?

Dani: 02:29

Yeah. So GIS is geographic information systems, and so it basically involves anything spatial. So anything involving utilities or something that you can plot on the ground in real time is GIS. And so the reason that we are, using Farmington fix with GIS is because, again, it allows us to have a spatial component to where a problem is occurring. Previously, you would send an email and just provide a description of the area.

Dani: 03:01

Now we know, okay, the this tree has fallen over at this exact spot as opposed to somebody trying to describe, oh, this tree fell in Jim Bell Park near this entrance to you know, it just

Caryn: 03:13

How many steps from what the entrance it is or whatever? Yeah. Yep. It sounds like it's pretty easy to use on a phone. Correct?

Dani: 03:20

Yes. I created these surveys to be relatively short, but I do ask that you include as much detail as you can just because it prevents a lot of back and forth. But, yeah, it it generally just asks kind of the description of the problem and then gives you the option to write any comments and include a photo.

Caryn: 03:40

Yeah. I think that photo component also is helpful. Don't you think Jared and Ed?

Ed: 03:43

Absolutely.

Jared: 03:44

Yeah.

Caryn: 03:44

Because then you can know exactly what they're talking about. Like, you can see it versus them trying to describe it in words. Right?

Jared: 03:49

Right.

Ed: 03:49

It's a game changer.

Caryn: 03:51

What types of issues should residents report by dialing 911 instead? Because I know there's probably some either lag time, or if it's a weekend, a holiday, and, you know, our staff isn't getting these reports right away for those reasons.

Dani: 04:05

Right. So with Farmington fix, you're just reporting anything that isn't an emergency or couldn't be taken care of within the next business day. So only report things that can be taken care of during business hours. So anything outside of business hours that needs to be immediately addressed should be handled by the police.

Caryn: 04:27

So when someone sub submits a report, do they get any sort of confirmation that it was submitted?

Dani: 04:32

There will be a your survey has been submitted screen that pops up after you hit submit on your report. That is the only form of confirmation that you will be receiving. We do ask that if you would feel comfortable to include your email in that survey in case we have follow-up questions.

Caryn: 04:51

Okay. So, Ed and Jared, this change directly affects both of your positions here at the city. Can you explain how this new software will help you in your position? Jared, how about you go first?

Jared: 05:00

Yeah. For sure. I just think for my purposes for code enforcement, it just makes everything into a one stop shop. When they have a complaint to come forward, we can start, you know, funneling those calls, those residents to fill out this report. And that report, they can fill up pretty much every detail that I would be looking for such as photos, the address, specifics of the complaint. I think it just really, you know, funnels complaints down to one specific report for me to analyze, and that's easier for me to track.

Caryn: 05:32

Well, plus all the information's there too. You don't have to, like, reply to the email or whatever and follow-up.

Jared: 05:38

Like, if I'm missing information, I don't need to do all that additional follow-up. They have a one stop shop there to to funnel a complaint under.

Caryn: 05:45

Okay. So what kinds of things do residents report under code code enforcement?

Jared: 05:50

So they can report a variety of things under the new Farmington fix, such as junk, junk vehicles, parking and grass, 72 hour parking, chickens. Just

Caryn: 06:01

Chickens.

Jared: 06:02

Yeah.

Caryn: 06:02

Like, having chickens?

Jared: 06:04

Having chickens. Yep. Pretty much just any of your variety bread and butter code enforcement issues, they can they can enter in right there.

Caryn: 06:11

Perfect. And then do you know who the report's from?

Jared: 06:14

It depends how much detail they wanna put in.

Caryn: 06:16

So they don't have to put everything.

Jared: 06:18

They don't have to put everything, but it should provide some sort of comfort to that. We cannot tell whoever the the violation is occurring. We cannot tell who complained on them.

Caryn: 06:28

Okay.

Speaker 5: 06:28

Because that's always a big concern when somebody does complain is they wanna stay. They don't

Caryn: 06:32

Anonymous .

Jared: 06:33

Right. Right. So we tell them that, you know, we can't even we're not even allowed to tell, you know, that it was you. So that helps.

Caryn: 06:39

Okay. And Ed, how about you? With this specialized reporting, what will it do for natural resources?

Ed: 06:45

Yeah. I think I'll echo a lot of the things Jared said. It's just gonna streamline our process and implementing these complaints, calls, into our workflow. So having, spatial data on where the tree branch, issue is is very helpful in coordinating crews to address these issues in a organized and timely manner. Typically, projects are put together to address issues in, specific geographic location. So I go to

Caryn: 07:17

don't wanna go from one side of town the other.

Ed: 07:19

You know it. You have burn up gas, time. So it's just gonna really help make things quicker.

Caryn: 07:26

Nice.

Jared: 07:27

So, yeah, really excited about it.

Caryn: 07:29

If a resident wants to report a tree issue, so do they go under the tree category or the park category? How how do they handle that?

Ed: 07:36

If it's a tree issue inside of a park, go ahead and report that issue under the parks tab. Any other tree issues can be reported through the tree issue icon there in the, Farmington fix hub.

Caryn: 07:49

And so that's whether it's a down branch or EAB?

Ed: 07:53

We've updated our ash tree inventory in the boulevard. So, we're getting a better understanding of the information out there. But certainly, if residents are finding a tree that they have concerns about, go ahead and report it. And that can also be in natural areas, out lots that city owns. And if you make a mistake and report a parks issue through the tree icon, it will still get filtered to the appropriate staff person. Just know that those parks issues will be addressed in a more efficient manner if you do so if you report the tree issue through the parks tab.

Caryn: 08:29

Okay.

Dani: 08:29

Yeah. And just to elaborate on that, really, any issue that occurs within a park should be filed under that parks category. Just so that that automated email that gets sent when you submit your report goes to the correct staff, and that just ensures a quicker response time.

Caryn: 08:49

So now with this Farmington fix, there's gonna be a new icon, graphic icon for it, and that's gonna be on the new website, which is also coming up this week on April 11th. So those two things will be launched on the same day, and you'll be able to check out our new website at farmingtonmn.gov. And there will be a nice graphic icon button. It'll say Farmington fix in the main on the main home page, and it'll be a dark blue color. And if you click on that, that's that'll bring you to that Farmington fix hub that Dani has been talking about, and you can report all your issues right there.

Caryn: 09:21

Now, as always, if it's an emergency, please just dial 911. And remember, issues reported on Farmington fix on a weekend, holiday, or after hours will not be read until the next business day. And I wanna thank, our special guest today for this special episode, Jared, Ed, and Dani. Thank you guys so much for coming on to explain this Farmington fix hub to everyone, and hopefully it makes residents' experience a lot easier.

Jared: 09:44

Thank you.

Ed: 09:44

Thank you.

Caryn: 09:45

If you have issues making a report in the new system, you can always call city hall during regular business hours, Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 4:30 PM. And that's the Feed in 5. Remember, you can listen to all our podcasts, including the Farmington Feed and the Feed in 5 wherever you like to get your podcasts.