City launches free mobile app for residents

In addition to a redesigned website, the City of Perryville has added a new tool for city residents — a free mobile app, part of what city administrator Brent Buerck calls a "continued evolution to put more and more information closer to the people we serve."
In addition to a redesigned website, the City of Perryville has added a new tool for city residents — a free mobile app, part of what city administrator Brent Buerck calls a "continued evolution to put more and more information closer to the people we serve."
Courtesy of City of Perryville
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The City of Perryville received an online facelift last week with an update to its official website.

"Every four years, the company we work with gives us a complete redesign of the website," said city administrator Brent Buerck. "It's critical to keep it fresh. When you think of the speed technology changes, a lot can be different in four years. This also gives people a reason to come back and incentive to want to see it again.

"We want to make sure we're showcasing our community in the right ways."

Along with a new look and functionality for residents who use cityofperryville.com, the city also gave final approval to its first mobile application.

The new app has a number of features that should prove useful to city residents, including the ability to pay city utility bills, view program updates and registration for Parks and Recreation programs, view movie listings for the Park Center's theater, access the municipal codebook, and many others, including receiving notifications from the city regarding everything from rainouts in youth sports, to approaching registration deadlines and announcements regarding Public Works projects.

"They won't be troublesome, but they'll keep you updated," Buerck said, adding that the notifications aren't intended to replace the city's existing email notification system, but rather to augment it.

"At my house, sometimes I don't get to check my personal email until 9:30 or 10 p.m.," Buerck said.

The free app for both iPhone and Android users will be listed as "PerryvilleMO" on both the iTunes and Google Play app stores and will be available in coming days.

"We've been waiting for the right time to release the app, and we think now is the time," Buerck said. "Smartphones are so pervasive. Everybody has one. This app is going to have 16 icons to do some of the most popular things that our citizens and employees want access to."

One of the things Buerck said he was excited about was a new feature that will be most helpful for residents and contractors alike.

"Our building department has added a new program where you can actually schedule a building inspection in the evening for the next day," Buerck said. "And you can do that through the app, which we think would be really great for contractors who run out of time or forget in the afternoon to get one scheduled."

In addition tot he large number of options for citizens, the app will also include an employee portal, where city workers will be able to check their leave and vacation time, see their pay stub and access other useful information.

"We're really excited," Buerck said. "It's just a continued evolution to put more and more information closer to the people we serve."

Buerck said he expects one of the app's functions to get a lot of use.

"Another neat feature is "To report a concern," Buerck said "If you have a street light that's out in front of your house, you can take a picture and send it to us. If you have a pothole that's blown open on your street, you can just use that app and send it right to us."

While most of the app's functions can also be accessed through the city website, Buerck said the ability to access those functions through the app should make a big difference for all city residents.

"People expect 24-hour access, I believe," Buerck said, "or they like 24-hour access. People work different shifts. They have different life responsibilities.
"We think this is really a way to make things better for the people we serve."