PEABODY — The city’s new mobile app, PeabodyConnect, received a 2023 Massachusetts Excellence in Technology Award during the 29th Annual Massachusetts Digital Government Summit hosted by Gov. Maura Healey.
The city was awarded the prize for Excellence in Service.
The app, which was launched earlier this year to give residents better access to city services, has attracted more than 4,000 users since its debut, according to Mayor Ted Bettencourt’s office. It enables residents and business owners to contact city departments, pay municipal tax bills, report problems like potholes or downed tree branches, and find information on public meetings or community events.
“Our goal with PeabodyConnect is to make it easier for taxpayers to receive the high-quality municipal services that they expect,” Bettencourt said in the statement. “The app has been very well received by the public and we certainly appreciate the statewide recognition. It’s a work in progress, however, and it will continue to evolve to meet the needs of Peabody residents and business owners.”
The city received a $50,000 state information-technology grant to help facilitate development of the app, and contracted with Bluestone Apps to do so. PeabodyConnect is available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese and can be downloaded free of charge from Google Play or the App Store.
