EDMONTON – The city’s much-criticized 311 telephone service has been a "boondoggle" that hasn’t accomplished what it was supposed to do, Coun. Kim Krushell said Tuesday.
The line was put in place last December to provide one convenient number available 24 hours a day for inquiries and requests for city services. Civic politicians have received complaints from people waiting up to half an hour to reach an operator.
One problem is that officials who set up the system estimated the average call would last for three minutes, but they actually take longer than five.
Out of 849,000 calls from January to June, more than one-quarter received a busy signal or were abandoned while on hold, a report said.
The service hired an extra 20 people over the summer. A city report says it reached the goal of answering at least 80 per cent of calls within 25 seconds for the first time in October, although increased costs mean it won’t reach the expected savings.
But Krushell said she isn’t pleased with what happened.
"I’m challenged (by) the boondoggle of 311. I think there should have been some accountability here –who’s responsible?" she asked during the budget debate.
‘Bill of goods’
"I’m not happy with the bill of goods that was sold to us in 2005. It didn’t measure up even close to what we were told."
Coun. Karen Leibovici made a motion to cut $2 million from the budget earmarked to pay for those 20 workers in 2010 and start repaying a loan.
The service was originally described as a revenue-neutral plan in which savings would cover the costs, which is one reason she supported it, she said later.
"What we’re finding out is that’s not the case," she said, explaining she wants the money to come from other budgets.
‘Pitch in’
"I think there needs to be the accountability there by all the departments to pitch in and help."
Her motion will come up for a vote later in the budget process, which is scheduled to conclude next week.
When city council approved $10 million to create the call centre and cover startup costs in 2006, the service was slated to save $1 million annually starting in 2011.
Most of that money was expected to come from increased efficiency that would eliminate the jobs of 45 out of 180 staff dealing with the public at 10 separate inquiry lines.
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