The City Council approved Tuesday night adopting a modified 311 system for Bridge City. The free mobile based application for the public called LUKE, which stands for Let Us Know Everything, is developed by LJA Engineering.
George Culver with LJA explained the system to the City Council. He informed them that the app can be used anywhere from Bridge City to California to Florida. The system opted not to have an automated response, but instead a human response that the person’s call has been received. Culver told the council, “Just as much as you’re concerned about providing something of value to your citizens and residents, we’re equally concerned to make sure that our users of LUKE get the experience that they’re looking for.”
Although the app for citizens will be free, Bridge City will pay a one-time fee of $5,000 to have the service installed at city offices. The city staff will make a recommendation later to the City Council on whether Bridge City will pay a $100 basic monthly fee or a $300 monthly fee for more service and screening of the system by LJA.
Mayor David Rutledge is excited about getting LUKE to work for Bridge City. He thinks the citizens will take to it very well, and it will open lines of communication between the citizens and the city. Rutledge exclaims, “It will help us in realizing where problems exist and how we can best serve our city and provide the goods and services that they require.” Culver informed the City Council that it should only take two or three days for LJA to install LUKE and have the app available for citizens to download on their phones and computers.
Bridge City will continue to pursue restoration funding from British Petroleum connected to the Deepwater Horizon disaster. The City Council approved Tuesday a 12-month extension to the interlocal agreement with the City of Orange for the services of Tim Richardson who is handling the settlement for several government entities in Orange County.
The case has dragged on for close to three years, but City Manager Jerry Jones indicated the goal is still to get enough funding from British Petroleum to build a regional waste water plant. The city manager said the funding decisions are at the state level now and are moving rather slowly. Jones admitted, “I think the only way that we have a possibility of that sewer plant coming true would be to stay with the program, but it’s awfully hard to do.”
Alderman Kirk Roccaforte did ask to see the billing Richardson is charging for his services. Jones said he would try to get that from the City of Orange which is billed directly from Richardson.
At the conclusion of the regular meeting the City Council held a workshop. The council discussed several topics that were brought up during the Texas Municipal League Conference which the members attended in early October. Also discussed was a logo for the renovated water tank on Highway 408. No action was taken on these items during the workshop.
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