By JONATHAN SNYDER
Markle has rolled out a government texting service in an effort to further improve communication between the city and its people.
Citizens living in Markle can text “MARKLE” to 91896 and request opt-into the service. Alternatively, there is a sign on the town hall building with a QR code that can be scanned via their phone.
The alerts will include updates about upcoming events, road closures, council meetings and emergency alerts.
Utility Clerk Cheryl Hardin said 56 people have signed up for the service. Hardin also said that there promotional cards will be mailed sometime in June, which will describe the sign-up process.
TextMyGov contacted the town about the service, and Hardin said they made the partnership because of the capability to quickly inform citizens of emergencies in the area. Hardin emphasized that if something were to happen with the water or other major utilities, it’s beneficial to get informaiton quickly to the public.
Citizens are also able to text the city through the service about any concerns. If residents see something that needs resolved, such as trash pickup, then they can send a message direct to the government office.
The service comes with a $3,000 annual fee to the municipality, said Clerk-Treasurer Stephenie Hensley.
With the service being new, Hardin stated that alerts may be less frequent than expected. However, after some time with the service and the processes that go with it, Hardin believes the town will utilize it more.
“I think once we get to the point where we know what we’re doing with it, it’ll get utilized a lot more, once we get more people opted in. I just think it’s going to be a really nice asset,” Hardin said.
jonathan@news-banner.com
