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Lincoln Heights committee reviews proposed Civic Plus mass-notification contract
Summary
Village officials reviewed a proposed one-year, $4,400 contract with Civic Plus for a mass-notification system offering unlimited texts, bilingual automated calls, geotargeting and website opt-in; staff said several implementation details (including a listed implementation line item) will be confirmed before any final approval.
Lincoln Heights Village officials discussed a proposed contract with Civic Plus on Dec. 8, 2025, that would provide the village an online mass-notification service for text messages and automated phone calls.
Village Manager Brown told the committee the vendor’s service supports unlimited text messages and automated calls in English and Spanish and includes features for scheduling and geographic targeting for road closures and inclement-weather alerts. "There being unlimited amount of texts that we can send out, annually," Brown said, adding the system can be embedded on the village website so residents can opt in or opt out.
Why it matters: the town has gone without an operational mass-notification system for years, and officials said quick, bilingual outreach is important for public safety during winter storms and localized road closures. Council members pressed staff on how the village will collect up-to-date contact information and reach residents who lack internet access.
Manager Brown outlined a multi-channel enrollment plan: embed Civic Plus on the municipal website with a text‑to‑opt‑in keyword, publish a press release, share information on social media, and make sign-up available at the municipal building. Councilwoman Laverne Mitchell suggested the village also distribute notices through churches; another council member urged including businesses in outreach.
Brown said publicly available directories such as the Yellow Pages and White Pages could seed an initial contact list, and he acknowledged some entries in older paper-card lists may be inactive. He also said surveys and limited demographic collection are possible with the software but that staff would prioritize installing automated calls and mass text functionality first.
On cost and contract terms, Brown said the annual service fee in the packet is $4,400 for a one-year contract with automatic annual renewal and a clause allowing standard price uplift. He also referenced an implementation line in the packet transcribed as "$11.55" to set up the vendor on the website and said staff would confirm that line item with Civic Plus.
No formal motion or roll-call vote to approve Resolution 2025-96 (authorizing the village manager to enter into an agreement with Civic Plus) was recorded in the transcript; committee members continued discussion and asked staff to follow up on technical and enrollment details. The meeting noted the packet includes an emergency clause, and the committee then moved, seconded and recessed the meeting to reconvene at 07:30.
What happens next: staff will follow up with Civic Plus to confirm limits on user accounts and details about how texts will appear to recipients, clarify the implementation fee listed in the packet, and return any updated contract terms to the committee for consideration.
