Fiorentini: We’re Fixing Haverhill’s Potholes as Fast as We Can

File photograph. (Image licensed by Ingram Image.)

Haverhill Mayor James J. Fiorentini feels city residents’ pain when it comes to potholes.

Pledging to fill the potholes as quickly as possible, Fiorentini is calling on constituents to identify potential traffic hazards by calling the city’s 311 call center.

Since Jan. 1, the city has received 213 pothole requests, with 63 percent filled within 48 hours, Fiorentini said.

The Mayor’s Chief of Staff Allison Heartquist serves as the city’s director of constituent services and spoke with WHAV’s Bill Macek on Monday’s Open Mike Show about the 311 help line.

“(311 answers) any question you have that pertains to municipal government that is a non-emergency,” said Heartquist. “Anything from wanting to report a pothole to how much you owe in taxes, or if there’s trash (pickup) today. We are the middleman between a request and the people who get it done.”

The hotline is also available outside city boundaries by calling 978-358-1311.

“We call 311 ‘one stop shopping.’ We try not to transfer phone calls,” Heartquist said. “Mayor Fiorentini is into customer service: It’s his No. 1 priority.”