New Haven Independent

But she would like more, and a more representative crew of congenial spies.

Actually “spies” is not a word she used when Byrne made her pitch for more volunteers to Geary Corves (pictured above, sitting beside Downtown Alderwoman Bitsie Clark) at the Downtown Wooster Square Management Team (DWSMT) meeting on Tuesday night at City Hall.

Byrne said she has received about 40 applications thus far from various places around town. The high preponderance of those, were from residents of East Rock. The goal is to have some 50 to 70, she added, somewhat up from a previous estimate,” and we’d really like to have people from every part of the city, which is not yet the case.”

The way she charmingly recruited was to say, “This is really an exciting opportunity for enlightened complainers.”

For a previous story about the Mystery Shoppers launch, click here.

In filling in some details, Byrne said that although the year-long commitment might seem daunting, the amount of work is really quite small. “We’re asking people,” she said, “to make perhaps two requests per month via the 311 system. That’s it.”

“If you’re the kind of person who has things to pass along on your own, great. Like you’re driving down the street and you see a traffic light is out, that type of thing. If not, we can provide things.”

The city will also provide training.

While some large cities like New York, have phone-based 311 systems, Byrne was clear, in response to a questioner, that a phone-based system would require operators and be prohibitively expensive for a city the size of New Haven; for the foreseeable future the model will remain web-based. The 311 system, which uses the city’s website, Byrne said, is a more efficient utilization of existing technology and systems. Applications are on the city’s home page.

Byrne did not speculate on the significance, if any, that the preponderance of applicants thus far are East Rockers. She added, with a gleam of hope in her eye, that there were as yet no applicants from downtown.