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Resident pitches ‘My Lonia’ mobile app to centralize city news, business directory and alerts
Summary
A Lithonia resident presented a proposal for a city-branded mobile app called 'My Lonia' that would centralize events, alerts and a business directory; the proposer described a one-time build fee with a monthly maintenance charge (presenter cited a $500 monthly maintenance figure during rollout) and offered to produce promotional content to drive adoption.
A resident and entrepreneur, Oli, presented a proposal March 16 for a city-branded mobile application he described as 'My Lonia,' saying the platform would centralize city news, events, history, a business directory and push alerts to residents’ phones.
Oli said the app would be managed via an administrative dashboard the city controls and proposed phased development: a basic launch featuring events and a business directory, followed by additional features such as digital permit/payment options, pothole reporting and an AI assistant in later versions.
He said the project would be a one-time build with a separate monthly maintenance and management fee; during the discussion he described a $500 monthly maintenance fee for the initial 12-month support period and referenced other cities’ contracts when explaining costs (he said another city paid about $82,000 for a more limited app). He also offered to create social-media content and marketing to support user adoption.
Council and staff raised adoption questions — especially for older residents and for outreach — and the presenters outlined a change-management strategy, outreach through upcoming events (including the proposed car and bike show) and an offer to produce content for the city’s social channels.
What’s next: Council did not take a vote on the app during the work session; staff indicated they would review feasibility, coordinate with county partners as needed and consider placing the proposal on a future agenda for negotiation and possible contracting.
