Clive highlights 'Greeny' chatbot, 68% e‑newsletter open rate and website redesign plans

Communications staff presented a multi‑month report June 11 showing accelerated adoption of new digital tools and a push to modernize the city website.

Molly, who led the presentation, said the Greeny chatbot and text‑alert service have registered thousands of interactions since launch. She reported roughly 4,872 distinct Greeny users and more than 6,600 engagements since December 2024; staff have sent about 128 text alerts since deploying the system, covering road closures, water warnings and special events.

The city’s newly launched e‑newsletter reached about 2,653 recipients in its June edition and posted a 68% open rate, Molly said — well above a typical industry benchmark of roughly 20%. Staff credited the newsletter’s design and integration with existing web content for improved link clicks and better routing of residents to utility billing and event pages.

Molly also outlined goals for a website redesign to meet extended ADA accessibility requirements, remove duplicate or outdated pages, improve mobile navigation and modernize the visual design. Staff plan a department‑led content audit and a phased redesign through 2027, with a public feedback survey planned for the fall to inform front‑page priorities.

Council members praised the communications team and noted the tools were put to use during recent water conservation messaging and event coordination. Staff said they will continue benchmarking and report back with comparative metrics against peer cities.