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Vermillion County solid waste board approves TextMyGov subscription for mass alerts
Summary
The board approved a $300 purchase for a 25,000-unit TextMyGov plan to add SMS outreach for county departments; internal controls and user allocation will be managed through the auditor’s office.
The Vermillion County Solid Waste Board on an affirmative vote approved a $300 purchase for a TextMyGov subscription that provides 25,000 text-message units for county department alerts.
Board members said the subscription is intended to supplement existing outreach for events such as tire recycling and county cleanup. Eric, the Vermillion County solid waste director, described the purchase as a cost-saving alternative to the prior Nixle contract, saying, “In doing so, we're saving the taxpayers money.”
The board and staff outlined how the service will be administered: Text-message units will be allocated by group (for example, VC Tire, VC Health, VC Soil) and the county will keep an internal list of authorized users so departments do not duplicate mass messages. Eric explained pricing tiers discussed at the meeting: $300 for 25,000 units, $550 for 50,000 and $750 for 100,000 units, and noted that message length affects unit counts.
Board members stressed internal controls. The county will identify authorized users and coordinate through the auditor’s office to prevent overlapping messages; officials said the auditor's office will monitor usage and that departments should coordinate prior to sending messages. The board approved an initial $300 allotment to test adoption and usage.
Practical details for residents were shared: people may opt into specific groups by texting the county number and a group keyword (for example, texting a short code to join “VC Tire”). Officials said messages will roll over if the allotment is not exhausted.
The subscription vote was recorded as passed. The board instructed staff to monitor use and return with an update after upcoming events to determine whether to buy additional units.
The subscription is expected to be used for outreach to promote county recycling and cleanup events, and officials noted the county will continue to use other channels such as radio and social media.
