One call to City Hall: Somerville adopts 311 program

Somerville has become the first city in New England to establish a 311 calling program for residents seeking to report non-emergency situations. Two weeks since its launch, the three operators have fielded over 600 phone calls regarding potholes, icy sidewalks, and snow removal. Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone said he hopes that the Web-based triage system – which logs and tracks calls as they come in – will expedite the normally bureaucratic process of voicing concerns to City Hall.