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Carroll County approves two-year contract for TextMyGov alert service
Summary
The Carroll County Board of Supervisors voted to enter a two-year contract with TextMyGov, a text-based resident alert service, after discussion about costs, opt-in rules and likely uses such as road alerts, elections and tax reminders.
The Carroll County Board of Supervisors voted to approve a two-year contract with TextMyGov, a subscription text-notification service, following roughly a half hour of discussion and a demonstration from a company representative.
Supporters said the service would let the county send targeted, category-based text alerts — for example, road closures, early-voting days or tax deadlines — to residents who opt in. A TextMyGov representative said the company can initially import a database of roughly 5,500 households eligible for enrollment and that residents in that list would receive a welcome message and could reply STOP to opt out.
The board and staff discussed cost and usage. County staff and the vendor described the contract as a two-year trial with a one-time setup fee and an annual subscription. In the discussion the price elements were stated as a $3,000 one-time setup fee and a $6,000 annual subscription, which board members discussed in the context of a two-year arrangement (participants at one point discussed a $15,000 total figure for two years). The vendor said the standard annual package includes 75,000 text messages per year and that unused messages roll over to the next year; the vendor also described an “unlimited” text option that would raise the annual fee by about $4,000.
Board members and department heads questioned how often departments would use the service and how quickly texts are read. The vendor cited engagement research on text messages and said texts are typically opened far more quickly than email or social posts. County staff and supervisors suggested likely uses including county road notices, early-voting reminders, tax notices and public-health messages. Some supervisors also expressed concern about potential extra costs if high enrollment caused the county to exceed the allotted messages.
The board voted on a motion to sign the two-year contract with TextMyGov; the motion carried. Supervisors discussed reassessing usage and allotments after the first year and noted the county could adjust the message allotment or upgrade to an unlimited plan in the second year.
The vendor and staff said residents can sign up either via the county website or be placed in the initial import; the county retains control over categories and which county staff have access to send messages. The vendor also said the county would get a dashboard showing enrolled users and opt-outs in real time.
The board’s approval starts the two-year trial period; staff said they will proceed with setup and return to the board if there are any contract or budget changes.
