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City's emergency free phone service a hard sell to date
Slowly, but hopefully surely, the city's phone service is getting more signups. But to date, the FREE service has been a hard
sell.
Meanwhile, every student's household in the Auburn School District receives a similar service, also free.
The school's program is starting its second year and goes to about 1500 households in Auburn and Divernon informing
parents of, among other things, early closings, snow days, PTO meetings. It also can be personalized to a given child's
classroom.
Supt. of Schools Kathy Garrett reports that the emergency service is provided to all the student data base of all students from
Pre-K to the 12th grade.
Garrett says, "we have had good and positive comments about the service."
Provided through SchoolReach, the district pays roughly $2.25 per student, or $3487 a year.
On the other hand, the city is paying $3,800 for a similar service that started in June, but residents must sign up for the service.
Ironically, the service is provided by GroupCast, a sister business with SchoolReach.
As of Monday, the city reported 255 residents with the service, although, because of two or more phones in a given household,
463 numbers are listed. The city has slightly over 1600 households eligible for the free service.
Mayor Joe Powell said, "we have tried our best to get out the message. The Citizen has carried articles, the J-R did last week
and we also have notices on our utility bills."
The city's emergency phone service will report tornadoes, boil orders, snow removal and allowed parking, even a child missing.
Added Powell, "we have two sirens for tornadoes, but it is possible that some homes might not hear them."
Edna Dolbeare, who handles the service at the utility office, stated that every emergency call will make a minimum of four
attempts in one hour, such as 11:58, 12:15, 12:32 and 12:45. She suggests that if no one is home and there is no
answering machine, the word cannot be conveyed.
Any resident wishing to be placed on the call list simply has to inform the utility office personnel with the phone numbers.
The recent boil order last week created by low pressure while the water tank is being painted resulted in roughly 50 new
subscribers.
"Instances will probably create more wanting on the line," stated Dolbeare.
Slowly, but hopefully surely, the city's phone service is getting more signups. But to date, the FREE service has been a hard
sell.
Meanwhile, every student's household in the Auburn School District receives a similar service, also free.
The school's program is starting its second year and goes to about 1500 households in Auburn and Divernon informing
parents of, among other things, early closings, snow days, PTO meetings. It also can be personalized to a given child's
classroom.
Supt. of Schools Kathy Garrett reports that the emergency service is provided to all the student data base of all students from
Pre-K to the 12th grade.
Garrett says, "we have had good and positive comments about the service."
Provided through SchoolReach, the district pays roughly $2.25 per student, or $3487 a year.
On the other hand, the city is paying $3,800 for a similar service that started in June, but residents must sign up for the service.
Ironically, the service is provided by GroupCast, a sister business with SchoolReach.
As of Monday, the city reported 255 residents with the service, although, because of two or more phones in a given household,
463 numbers are listed. The city has slightly over 1600 households eligible for the free service.
Mayor Joe Powell said, "we have tried our best to get out the message. The Citizen has carried articles, the J-R did last week
and we also have notices on our utility bills."
The city's emergency phone service will report tornadoes, boil orders, snow removal and allowed parking, even a child missing.
Added Powell, "we have two sirens for tornadoes, but it is possible that some homes might not hear them."
Edna Dolbeare, who handles the service at the utility office, stated that every emergency call will make a minimum of four
attempts in one hour, such as 11:58, 12:15, 12:32 and 12:45. She suggests that if no one is home and there is no
answering machine, the word cannot be conveyed.
Any resident wishing to be placed on the call list simply has to inform the utility office personnel with the phone numbers.
The recent boil order last week created by low pressure while the water tank is being painted resulted in roughly 50 new
subscribers.
"Instances will probably create more wanting on the line," stated Dolbeare.
Issue Date: Aug. 28, 2008
