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City of Charlottesville, VA Fire
Department
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| Chapter: | IV - General Administration |
| Subject: | Citizen Complaints |
| Code: | 1-IV-10 |
| Revised: | 6-10-96 |
A. To centralize and assure that all citizens' requests are
handled in a timely, equitable, courteous and sensitive
manner.
B. This procedure is designed to continue the Citizen's
Assistance Program at a high level of service, and
eliminate the possibility of citizens' complaints/ requests
not receiving proper attention.
A. The City Manager's Office shall be responsible for
receiving and processing the requests and complaints of
citizens that relate to the functions of the City
government.
B. Requests or complaints will be assigned by the City
Manager's Office to the appropriate department/division for
a timely response.
C. Each departmental response will be reviewed by the Request
Coordinator to insure that it is complete, equitable, and
consistent with City policies.
D. If a departmental response is not satisfactory, the
Administrative Assistant to the City Manager will work with
the department until a reasonable response can be
formulated.
E. The affected department/division is responsible for
contacting the citizen by phone, in person, or by letter
within ten (l0) working days following the receipt of the
complaint.
A. Request for Service or Complaint
A citizen inquiry that relates to the functions of city
government.
B. (RFS) Request for Service
Four part, NCR carbonless paper (Exhibit A) upon which
relevant portions of a citizens' request/complaint are
written and forwarded for departmental response.
C. Request Coordinator
Administrative Assistant to the City Manager.
D. Index Card
Address file, 3 x 5 white card which should list the
citizens name, address, telephone number, a brief
description of the request/complaint, date received, and
request number.
E. Index Card
Location file, 3 x 5 white card which should list the
address or vicinity of the request, a brief description of
the request/complaint, date received, and request number.
F. Request Number
Composed of the calendar year and the chronological number
of the request. Example 83-327.
G. Ten Day Due Date
The date on which the citizen is due a response to his/ her
request or complaint. Only actual working days will be
counted (weekends, holidays excluded).
A. Requests/complaints received by the City Manager's Office
will be processed and forwarded to the appropriate
department.
B. Citizens' request and complaints concerning the receiving
department will be processed according to procedures
outlined in Section 10.05.
C. Each request shall be analyzed and the citizen answered
within ten (l0) working days from the date on which he/ she
first contacted City Hall. The Administrative Assistant to
the City Manager shall be informed of all delays in
response. When a period longer than ten (l0) working days
is required for response, the citizen must be contacted by
the department/division and given a new response date which
shall not extend any longer than an additional ten (l0)
working days.
A. A request/complaint may be received from a citizen by
telephone, letter, mailout coupon, or in person by the City
Manager's Office.
B. The City Manager's Office will complete all relevant
portions of the Request for Service form including the
category and district number following a request or
complaint.
C. Address and location file cards will be compiled on the
request and filed alphabetically in the central filing
system maintained by the Administrative Assistant.
D. The Administrative Assistant shall notify the citizen that
a response to his/her complaint will be made in ten (l0)
working days.
E. The Administrative Assistant will forward the Request for
Service form to the appropriate department/division.
F. The receiving department/division shall respond to the
complaint/request within ten (l0) working days.
G. The department will complete the remainder of the Request
of Service form after responding to the complaint and
transfer a copy of the completed form to the Public Works
Department.
H. All departmental responses will be in accordance with City
policies and procedures to insure equitable disposition of
all requests. All answers must be as complete as possible.
What action, if any, will be taken and the date by which
the action will be taken must be included.
I. Should a response appear not to be in accordance with city
policies and procedures instituted to insure equitable
disposition of all requests, the Citizen's Request
Coordinator will so notify the City Manager and will
receive advice from that office in not more than three (3)
working days.
J. The department's reply must always be given to the citizen
by a departmental representative. This reply can be given
in writing, over the phone, or in person. However, the
date and nature of the response must always be recorded on
the Request for Service form.
K. Requests/complaints taken by the Public Works Department
will be processed and referred to the appropriate
department/division. Requests/complaints received directly
by departments/divisions shall be handled by the affected
office.
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