The City of Arkadelphia announced its new notification system, Text My Gov.
Text My Gov has two key features:
1. A notification system where residents can receive updates on road closures, water leaks, holiday closures, special events, etc.
2. A texting service where residents can text in questions or concerns.
The notification system is a 5-digit number that will only send out notifications. Messages sent to the 5-digit number will not be received by city staff.
The texting service is a 10-digit number that will receive messages and respond to messages. For basic information, the system finds answers on the city’s webpage and sends it to residents. For more complex issues, residents will receive requests for more information so city staff can take a closer look at the problem.
The city’s Board of Directors went through a demonstration of Text My Gov at their July 2 meeting. City Manager Gary Brinkley assured the board that, “this system is not meant to, or going to, replace the use of phones in Town Hall. It is meant to supplement resident concerns and provide immediate responses to basic questions. We had some issues with our phone system this year, which I am happy to report all of the problems have been resolved. Residents are always encouraged to contact Town Hall or come visit us. This service is just another way they can do that and have their voices heard.”
Text My Gov will get smarter with time. As more people interact with the system, the easier it will be for residents to find the information they are looking for.
“We’ve tested the system in-house and with the Board of Directors and we love it, but we don’t know how residents are going to interact with the system,” Brinkley said. “We really need the public to engage with the system so it can get smarter, identify what words should be keywords, and where the issues are in the software.”
Fort Smith, West Memphis, and Harrison are among the cities who have acquired Text My Gov’s services and report outstanding results from the program.
“We want our residents to feel heard and be informed,” Brinkley said. “We’re confident this service will allow for both, in addition to our standard methods of communication [emails, phone calls, social media, website announcements].”
To enroll in the notification system, text ARKADELPHIA to 91896.
To receive information or report an issue, text Hi to 870-293-6434.
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