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Hardwick Electric plans TextMyGov rollout, staff urges clear enrollment messaging
Summary
Staff presented a three‑year TextMyGov contract and a postcard and website enrollment plan, flagged potential customer confusion with existing Hardwick town alerts and agreed to add clarifying language; staff proposed an Aug. 1 go‑live date.
Hardwick Electric staff told trustees they are ready to launch TextMyGov, a third‑party emergency and outage text notification service, and recommended a postcard mailing plus a website widget to drive enrollment. Renee (finance/staff presenter) said the utility is under a three‑year contract that includes an initial bundle of text messages and the ability to add more as needed.
Renee described the rollout plan and suggested enrollment instructions be posted on the utility website. She said, “It’s been a very seamless and it’s smooth transition to enroll in Text MyGov,” and noted the service will be used for planned outage notices and emergency messages. A public commenter, Michael of HCTV, cautioned that text alerts rely on cellular service: “We don’t have cell service without power,” he said, prompting staff to propose adding explanatory language to outreach materials and to emphasize Wi‑Fi calling and multiple channels (Facebook, website) as backups. Trustees endorsed the outreach approach and staff proposed targeting Aug. 1 for the initial launch, contingent on coordination with the office and local media.
