Oct 27

An update:

The bookmarked link we used yesterday, the one we used for years to look up DNS records no longer works today.  The link from the Assessor page to DNS no longer works in a meaningful manner.  Using the city site to find owner information for screening purposes does not return the phone number, just the information found on the Assessor’s site.  Plus it takes a lot of clicks to get to.

Yesterday we called an inspector who met with us two weeks ago to sign off an order because the order showed as open in the city computer system.  First thought – the inspector failed to sign off the order.  It has happened before with this inspector.

 
The inspector’s response was enlightening, if not scary.  It seems DNS recently replaced their computer system with a new one that works so poorly that they must do everything by hand, as in paper and pencil by hand.
 
I asked ‘What was wrong with the old system?’  His answer, ‘Nothing, it worked fine.’
 
So then I asked the obvious why.  His answer – The Mayor demanded the change. I thought it odd that a mayor would be dictating database software, sounds more like the job for IT. The inspector speculated that the purchase of the new, nonfunctional system was the Mayor returning a political favor.
 
Glad to see the original HeathlCare.gov* programers landed on their feet. 😉
 
Seriously though if you have completed orders from the City of Milwaukee you should check to make sure the status in the city system is correct.  If not, call 414-286-2268 and ask that a supervisor fixes the problem. You do not want to have an open order for say a smoke detector,complete the order and then have a fire with that order remaining open, or you fixed a broken step but it remained open and now someone tripped there.
 

* The GAO report on the failure of the original HealthCare.gov

http://www.gao.gov/assets/670/668834.pdf

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