Politics & Government

Fate of Mahwah App to be Determined During Budget Hearings

The township's smartphone application will continue to be up and running until a decision is made about whether to keep funding it in 2014, officials said.

The future of a Mahwah-centered smartphone and web application that caused some controversy last year will remain undecided until the township council conducts budget hearings over the next few months, township officials announced at a meeting last Thursday. The App, Mahwah Delivers, will remain active until the council makes a final decision, Mayor Bill Laforet said at the meeting.

Last October, the App created some controversy after council members said Laforet created and ordered the App without their consent, and questioned whether or not the township needed it.

Last year, Laforet contracted with tech company PublicStuff to run the App from August through December 31, 2013 for $2,875. In October, council members said they would vote whether or not to keep the funding for the App in the 2014 budget during this year’s budget hearings – set to start in February.

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At a meeting Thursday, Councilman Harry Williams asked what the fate of Mahwah Delivers will be until then. Laforet said PublicStuff has agreed to extend Mahwah’s contract for free until the matter is decided during budget hearings. So, at least for the next month or so, Mahwah Delivers will remain online.

The App allows residents to electronically submit requests to the township’s government via the App or online, and government officials to respond.

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The system also tracks the progress on requests made. So, if a resident uses the App to take a photo of and describe a pothole that he or she feels needs to be fixed, the request is routed through PublicStuff software to the appropriate department head in the township. Officials are notified, and required to respond to the resident request with a status update.

PublicStuff operates similar Apps for about 200 municipalities across the country, including Philadelphia and NYC.

Have you used the Mahwah Delivers App? If so, tell us your thoughts on it in the comments section below. Think the council should vote to keep it? 


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