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The Albany Common Council voted 11-to-1 on Monday (December 23) to reinstate the SeeClickFix app, a platform that allows residents to report issues like potholes directly to city officials. The app was previously shut down after an appeals court ruled that reports submitted through it counted as written notice, enabling residents to sue the city if problems were not addressed.
To address this, the council amended the city code to specify that reports must be submitted directly to the corporation counsel to be considered written notice. According to Spectrum News, this amendment aims to reduce the city's liability for road defects that aren't repaired.
Mayor Kathy Sheehan explained that the new rules require written notice to be delivered by hand or mail. CBS6 Albany reported that the council plans to further discuss improving the app's terms and conditions.
While some residents expressed concerns about the changes, others supported the app's reinstatement. News10 noted that the council is exploring options for digital notice submissions in the future.
