New Haven Independent: He Has Your Number

He Has Your Number

by Paul Bass | November 26, 2007 4:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)

Mayor John DeStefano made 29,390 calls to New Haveners — at once.

He was testing the city’s new web-based “Mass Notification System.” It uses the web to enable the city to get an urgent message, or public service announcement, out fast to 60 percent of the city.

DeStefano displayed the new system at a press conference in his office Monday afternoon. Click on the play arrow above to watch him record a message about how the state Department of Transportation is handing out free bus passes to entice commuters to try CTTransit.

destefano%20911.jpg With the help of his deputy chief administrative officer, Jennifer Pugh, DeStefano then typed the right info onto a website and and sent the message to all listed land lines in town.

That’s 29,390 households. The city has about 50,000 households, DeStefano said. The new system, designed by a company called 3N, doesn’t yet reach people who rely just on cell phones. The city and 3N are working on that; eventually they hope that citizens who want their cell phones added to the list can sign up on the city’s website.

On Monday’s dry run, DeStefano’s computer showed that 22,000 calls had been made after just 10 minutes. Then the mayor needed his office back, for a private meeting with Yale Child Study Center’s Steven Marans.

Two hours later some of the 29,390 households still hadn’t been reached. Jennifer Pugh noted that, as with any new concept, the city still has bugs to get out of the system.The system is designed to make all 29,390 calls within 20 minutes.

(For the record, the call hadn’t come to this reporter’s house.)

DeStefano said the city will be on guard not to “abuse” the system. “Otherwise it becomes like spam on your email. You push the delete button right away.” He mentioned how pre-recorded “robo-calls” during the 2006 U.S. Senate campaign in Connecticut flooded households and turned people off.

He said the new city system will be used to alert people to weather emergencies as well bridge closings or leaf pickup schedules. The city can also limit calls to certain streets or zip codes. So if there’s flooding in Morris Cove or a problem with the West River watershed, the system will dial households in those neighborhoods.

The city used $56,000 in federal homeland security money for system. That comes to “45 cents per resident,” according to a press release.

Comments

Posted by: andy ross | November 26, 2007 4:57 PM

This is a great tool if it is used for the purpose it was designed for. My question is, are there any restriction, or guidelines set up for the use of the systems use? I.E. what constitutes an emergency? Will the Mayor's office have yet another privilege of incumbency to keep his voice on the resident s minds? Who will administer this, and make the decision as to what should be broadcasted? How does this come into play under the do not call list laws in Connecticut? I will say it again. I think it is a great tool if used for its intended purpose and not abused by politicians looking to score a few additional points with residents.

Posted by: andy ross | November 26, 2007 5:42 PM

I meant to say Incumbency.

Posted by: Joe | November 26, 2007 6:15 PM

Maybe he could use the sysytem to call us when he needs another raise.....

Posted by: Gary Doyens | November 26, 2007 9:22 PM

DeStefano wouldn't call us little people for the raise - that was never meant for public consumption at least when we were in a better position to do something about it. He only needs to call President Goldfinger - I mean Goldfield who then presented the very reasonable 14% pay hike and its $375,000 pension value to the finance committee who quickly dropped trou.

In the meantime, I hope DeStefano and the queen of gag orders, lock up the password and access codes to this phone system. I can already hear Brian McGrath's voice telling Vito and me we're on the list - get down to the machine voting booth. It's an emergency - the machine may lose an alder or a mayor.

Posted by: -fairhavener- | November 26, 2007 9:38 PM

Call me paranoid, but why does this strike me as a bad idea?

Posted by: walt bradley | November 27, 2007 12:50 PM

Another great Destefano ploy. NOTE to potential callers to CT Transit. There are stipulations the good mayor left out. I recieved a complaint from one of my producers and then called CT Transit (800-255-7433) myself. The biggest stipualtion is that if you ARE CURRENTLY a bus rider, you are not entitled to your free 10 pass ticket. Now i'm not suggesting you lie, but if you'd like to take advantage of the free rides, and most regular riders can't afford to own a car, so they probably would make out the best, then.......
There are also a few others, but to be honest I wound up hanging up on the woman (i'm sorry miss, i'm sure you're getting a lot of heat today, i just didn't want to focus my anger on you).
Moral of the story, there are no free lunches or buss passes.

Posted by: eli | November 27, 2007 2:30 PM

This is a farce. I called the number our man left on my machine and found out there are a few suprises and hurdles to getting those free bus passes.
Go ahead and call connecticut transit, see what happens, it's fun. Maybe next year we'll all get free plane tickets to Miami, of course after all criteria have been met. SOYLENT GREEN IS PEOPLE!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | November 27, 2007 5:05 PM

Hmmm... funny one of constituents called and complained to me today about the passes as well..."they forgot to tell you that you can only use them if you work not for school" She said the lady did say she was getting a bit aggravated that the message did not specify alot of the rules.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | November 27, 2007 5:06 PM

Johnny are you reading this????

Posted by: Saffy | November 28, 2007 4:20 PM

I was disappointed to find out AFTER calling the number that I didn't qualify for a 10 trip ticket. The bus is my only form of transportation because I can't afford a car and yet my frequency of bus use makes me ineligible. Go figure. You should be ashamed Mr Mayor for your blatant mis-advertising and wasting a lot of people's time. Use the system for emergencies only.

Posted by: Transit Rider | November 29, 2007 3:24 PM

For Goodness Sakes -- Lie!

Get your free bus passes by saying you have never taken the bus before. I am sure there are buses you have never taken so you are not really even lying.

That the state makes this distinction is stupid, why would anyone tolerate it by playing along with such nonsense.

If you wanted DeStefano to tell you to lie, well he's not going to do that now is he, but I just did so your problem is solved.

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He Has Your Number

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