November 16, 2007

District 8 Report

Customer Service is our most important product

By Dave Cortese, City Councilmember
Special to the Times

As I travel around our district, talking with friends and neighbors, two questions I always ask are “How are you doing?” And, “How can I help?” One response I get is how hard it is to contact the right city department or person for information or help with a problem. Always feel welcome to contact my office with any questions or concerns. We are here to help and I have a very capable staff dedicated to serving our district.

The city of San Jose has a great number of city departments that provide services and information. I understand how hard it is, sometimes, to just get the right department or the right person on the phone to answer your questions. Our city website, http://www.sanjoseca.gov, has a tremendous amount of very useful information. On this page you can locate information regarding 24-hour assistance, public safety, environmental concerns, employment, utilities and much more.

However sometimes it’s helpful to contact these departments directly via the telephone. The following list can be of great help when you have one of those situations where you need assistance or information.

Department of Transportation handles issues such as traffic calming, abandoned vehicles, parking, sewers, street lights, sidewalks and much more.

If you notice a vehicle in your neighborhood that has been parked for more than 72 hours without movements, please contact Joe Celio at Abandoned Vehicles (408) 277-5305.

If you are concerned about speeding in your area, parking issues, or sidewalks please contact Jim Bittner in the Department of Transportation at (408) 535-3850.

Other Customer Service numbers in the Department of Transportation:

- Parking Compliance (Information): 534-2900

- Streetlight Repair: 277-5517

- Traffic Signal Repairs: 277-4373

- Potholes/ Pavement Problems: 277-4373

- Street Tree Issues: 277-2762

- Sidewalk Repairs: 277-2572

- Crosswalk Studies: 535-3850
 
Animal Care & Services (ACS) is a full-service division that answers thousands of calls each year from people reporting or needing help with stray, injured, lost, dead, nuisance or dangerous animals. Please contact Jon Cicirelli at 578-7297.
 
Our trained Animal Service Officers conduct the following field services:

- Patrol the city on a daily basis

- Enforce all animal control laws and investigate all reports of animal abuse

- Pick up stray animals

- Respond to animal-related emergencies

- Rescue animals in distress

- Transport injured or sick stray animals to receive emergency vet care (day or night)

- Follow-up on citizen complaints

- File bite reports and quarantine animals

- Permit animal-related facilities
 
Code Enforcement Division enforces a variety of quality of life related regulations. Recognizing the importance of field inspection services, I voted to add additional resources to the Code Enforcement Division. Before Nov. 9, only Immediate and Priority Complaints (such as sewage leaks, unsecured vacant structures, illegal occupancies, substandard housing) received field inspection services within 1- 5 business days. Now Routine Complaints (such as illegal signs, lawn parking, and blight conditions) will also receive field inspections within 10 business days. Please contact Mike Hannon at 277-4528 if you have concerns in the following areas:

- Building Code violations, construction work being done without permits

- Smoking in enclosed public places

- Illegal dumping

- Blight on public and private property

- Inoperable vehicles on private property

- Graffiti

- Zoning and Land Use Ordinance requirements

- San Jose Municipal Housing Code standards for safe and sanitary housing

- Water waste

- Illegal signs

- Early set out of yard trimmings

- Condition of an existing structure that constitute a clear and present danger to the public

- Swimming pool fences

Thank you for sharing your concerns and your feedback. As always, if I can be of any assistance please do not hesitate to contact me at dave.cortese@sanjoseca.gov or (408) 535-4908.