FAIRBURY - An online form designed to give the citizens of Fairbury an easy way to submit maintenance requests and voice concerns has been beset by online misuse and abuse, prompting the city to remove the form and explore other options.
 
The Fix it Fairbury form gave city residents a virtual avenue to alert city officials of public nuisances and request maintenance to public works like roads, sewers and street lights.

But mayor Kelly Davis said this week that form had recently been persistently flooded by fake users, along with real users mixing insults and vulgar language into their comments towards the city.
 
"It’s been really abused lately, people are using fictitious names, some pretty nasty names, using staff names, and not spelling them right... they are using pretty vulgar language sometimes, and hitting repeat, repeat, repeat on whatever their grievance is at the time. Staff don’t need to be called those names," Davis said while presiding at the Fairbury city council meeting Tuesday.
 
Recently, members of the Fairbury city council had increased their efforts, publicly and online, to ensure residents knew that this form was even available - but now, thanks to this misuse, it won't be an option anymore.

While the city explores alternatives, Davis says anyone with a complaint or request can file it in person at the city office, in the same building as the council chambers.
 
"They don’t have the intestinal fortitude to come forward and let us know who they are, to make the complaint, so we’ve said they can just come down to the city office and fill out a complaint if they want, and we’ll handle it from there. If not, we’re looking at other options."