WATERTOWN – It’s been one year since the launch of Watertown’s 311 Constituent Services Department—a centralized resource for residents to get help with everything from potholes and trash pickup to permitting and voter information. In its first year, the two-person department has fielded thousands of requests, becoming a go-to hub for navigating city services.

311 is staffed by Director of Constituent Services Laura Murray and Constituent Services Representative Stephanie Owens. While the department may be small, the team is anything but quiet.

“311 just celebrated its one-year anniversary last week,” Murray said. “It’s still fresh, still new—but people are starting to know who we are. And we want even more to call us.”

The department was established in 2023 at the request of the City Council, designed to streamline communication between residents and City Hall. Murray says the most common requests include missed trash pickups, potholes, tree maintenance, and general questions about city processes.

“Whether we have the answer or not, we’ll get you to the person who does,” she said. “We’re in the business of helping people.”

Owens, who takes most of the incoming calls, says volume varies by season—spring, fall, and election season are among the busiest. On quieter days, she works on simplifying city procedures by building step-by-step guides for the city’s website.

“We’re averaging around 20 calls a day,” Owens said. “But we’ve both had days with 40 calls each.”

Not every request is routine. Owens once helped coordinate the removal of a shopping cart floating down the Charles River. Murray recalls a more bizarre call early in her tenure—about a designer handbag found on a public sidewalk… filled with human feces.

But even stranger calls haven’t slowed their efforts to improve service. The department recently introduced on-demand phone translation services and is working to expand communication options with text messaging and live chat. Owens is also taking American Sign Language classes—with the city’s support—to serve residents who are deaf or hard of hearing.

“I just thought it would be a great way to help the community in a better way,” Owens said.

Their collaboration goes beyond City Hall—Murray and Owens are both coaches for the Watertown High School cheerleading team. Owens is head coach and says that connection helped her land the job at 311.

“We definitely bring some of that cheer spirit into the office,” she said.

Watertown residents can reach 311 by calling 3-1-1 during City Hall hours, emailing 311@watertown-ma.gov, or submitting requests through the city’s mobile app or website.

“We want more people to use us,” Murray said. “We’re here, we’re ready, and we want to make city services easier for everyone.”

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