Town approves Text My Gov contract to boost resident engagement
June 25, 2026 | Chenango, Broome County, New York
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The Shenango Town Board voted to contract with Text My Gov for resident engagement services after a lengthy discussion about outreach effectiveness and cost.
Supporters argued the service will rapidly build a contact database and reach younger residents via text messaging, improving response rates for the ongoing comprehensive plan process. "Text My Gov is 110% the right choice," board member Luke said, arguing the extra cost was justified because it would produce a database and immediate outreach capability that would be transferable if the town later changed platforms.
The original motion proposed a two-year agreement at $7,000 a year with a one-time setup fee; after discussion about exact billing and set‑up timing the mover amended the motion to a "not to exceed" amount of $11,000 to cover first-year setup and contingencies. The board took a roll call and members present voted in favor.
Board members said they plan to use interest earned on opera funds to cover the first-year cost and that the vendor offers options for quarterly or annual billing; staff will verify billing terms and contract dates. The database and messaging package were described as able to send up to 100,000 messages in the startup package and include optional additional storage for an added fee.
The board directed staff to coordinate the Text My Gov rollout with the comprehensive plan consultant so surveys and outreach are integrated; members also asked staff to re-open the comp-plan survey when the system is in place.
Action: motion carried by roll call.
Supporters argued the service will rapidly build a contact database and reach younger residents via text messaging, improving response rates for the ongoing comprehensive plan process. "Text My Gov is 110% the right choice," board member Luke said, arguing the extra cost was justified because it would produce a database and immediate outreach capability that would be transferable if the town later changed platforms.
The original motion proposed a two-year agreement at $7,000 a year with a one-time setup fee; after discussion about exact billing and set‑up timing the mover amended the motion to a "not to exceed" amount of $11,000 to cover first-year setup and contingencies. The board took a roll call and members present voted in favor.
Board members said they plan to use interest earned on opera funds to cover the first-year cost and that the vendor offers options for quarterly or annual billing; staff will verify billing terms and contract dates. The database and messaging package were described as able to send up to 100,000 messages in the startup package and include optional additional storage for an added fee.
The board directed staff to coordinate the Text My Gov rollout with the comprehensive plan consultant so surveys and outreach are integrated; members also asked staff to re-open the comp-plan survey when the system is in place.
Action: motion carried by roll call.
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