Council OKs study of a 311 phone system

The Seattle City Council Budget Committee on Thursday approved spending $500,000 to study ways to improve customer service at municipal offices, including possibly implementing a 311 phone system.

The measure now goes to the full council.

San Francisco, Minneapolis, Baltimore, Houston, New York and many other cities have 311 services. Residents may call that number for all nonemergency matters and will be routed to appropriate city offices.

Last year, the council rejected Mayor Greg Nickels' request for $9 million to begin work establishing such a phone system here.

Some members said the mayor had given them insufficient time and information to properly consider such a large expense. Instead, the council gave an initial nod last fall to the study.