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Boerne expands digital outreach, accessibility tools and hires communications staffer
Summary
The city reported increased use of MyBurnie News, chatbot engagement, an Everbridge notification rollout and new ADA‑friendly meeting transcripts; the council was introduced to new communications staffer Bria Jackson.
City communications staff on March 25 updated the Boerne City Council on multiple outreach and accessibility projects, including expanded digital newsletters, a municipal chatbot, emergency notification improvements and new accessibility features.
Director Shadrock said the city’s MyBurnie News site had more than 50,000 page views from roughly 36,000 active users in its first eight months, with most traffic from mobile devices and a large portion arriving via social links. He reported CitiBot, the city’s website chatbot, launched in February 2024 and has engaged more than 1,500 users and generated over 2,000 interactions since launch; staff said 97.9% of inquiries did not require direct staff follow up.
The city also rolled out Everbridge for text and email notifications. Shadrock described a March 9–12 water outage on Adler Road where staff sent a series of messages and reached 107 contact points covering 52 customers; he said follow‑up messages reduced incoming calls and social media messages to utilities staff during the outage.
Accessibility and branding: staff announced a new agenda/video/transcript tab on the council meeting page provided by Granicus so users can read meeting transcripts, change font styles, use text‑to‑speech and request translations. Communications also previewed a refreshed city logo and seasonal banners for downtown (“dine, shop, craft, drink here in Boerne” replacements) and said the city would install new banners along the Hill Country Mile.
Partnerships and staffing: the city reported two community partnerships — with Community Impact (a mailed monthly newspaper for local ZIP codes) and Boerne Life (a digital platform) — to expand reach. Communications introduced new hire Bria Jackson, who joined the department about 2½ weeks earlier and will manage social media strategy, cross‑departmental messaging and content creation.
Ending: staff said the combined tools — chatbot, Everbridge notifications, enhanced transcripts and local partnerships — are intended to improve timely outreach, reduce calls for routine information and increase accessibility for residents.
