County OKs 'Text My Gov' subscription to improve resident communications
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Summary
The board approved a subscription to 'Text My Gov' at $9,000 per year plus a $4,000 one-time setup fee after staff said the vendor filters numbers by ZIP code, allows opt-in, and includes email functionality; the county attorney reviewed the contract with no concerns.
Pottawattamie County supervisors voted Dec. 13 to implement a resident communication service referred to in the meeting as "Text My Gov." Kate Gerber, the county public relations manager, told the board the vendor scrubs phone numbers by ZIP code rather than by area code and offers opt-in options such as QR codes and keyword shortcodes; she also said the service includes optional email functionality and has been reviewed by the county attorney (SEG 379–387, 419–424).
A motion to implement the service at an annual cost of $9,000 plus a one-time $4,000 setup fee was moved by Supervisor Miller and seconded by Supervisor Jorgensen; the board approved the motion by voice (SEG 439–454). Gerber said the tool could be used for both administrative reminders and targeted, geographically specific messages to avoid unnecessary texts to residents.
The board's approval authorizes staff to finalize the contract and begin implementation steps consistent with legal review and county procedures.