WORCESTER, Mass. — The City of Worcester unveiled its new 311 Customer Service Center on Monday. Similar to the city’s existing 311 telephone line and 311 mobile application, the facility will help address people’s questions about trash, recycling, potholes, fallen trees and other issues.

Charles Goodwin, Worcester’s Emergency Communications and Management commissioner, said there will be benefits to addressing these problems through face-to-face conversations.

“The essential feature here is really our staff,” Goodwin said. “Being able to walk in and see our staff in person and talk about the problem and really work with them, and have them be available to this neighborhood and community to be able to resolve as many government problems as we possibly can.”

The center’s location at 799 Main Street is directly next door to the former site of a similar one-stop-shop, which Goodwin referred to as a 'mini City Hall.' The project never reached the heights city leaders had been hoping for, largely because it opened just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic began. 

"When we decided we wanted to bring it back, we really re-envisioned what we could do," Goodwin said. "And taking this corner space here offered us more room with a private office, so that way councilors can come in and do meeting hours, and we're working with the Department of Transitional Assistance to have a kiosk, and they may have staff come in from time to time."

The center also includes Worcester's first yellow trash bag vending machine. People typically purchase the bags at local retailers, but City Councilor George Russell said they've been increasingly difficult to find.

"Having them available at the 311 Center is a good thing, but i think one of the things we should be doing, and I've had this on the council agenda before, is to pay small businesses a small markup so that they will provide these bag," he said.

Eric Spencer, manager at Grafton Square Hardware, said many shop owners have been opting not to sell the bags because they're losing money. He added the main incentive for those still selling them boils down to wanting to help the community.

"We lose anywhere from $750 to $1,000 per year in credit card transactions just on trash bag sales," Spencer said. "A lot of regular customers say, 'oh, so-and-so ran out'... I wonder if that could be a larger issue going forward, that access to the bags might actually be hindered."

During a ribbon cutting ceremony at the 311 Customer Service Center on Tuesday, City Manager Eric Batista said it's possible there might be additional vending machines throughout the city in the months and years ahead. 

The center will also offer municipal services such as birth and death certificates, dog licenses, business certificates, passport registrations and renewals, and more.