On Friday, the City of Gadsden announced it was named a finalist for the 2024 Civic Experience Awards presented by CivicPlus, a national government technology company. According to the company, its awards program aims to recognize local government leaders, departments, and municipalities working hard to improve civic experiences to create greater civic participation and satisfaction, safer, cleaner, and more profitable communities.

In 2023, the City of Gadsden undertook a major initiative to enhance community engagement and improve access to City services. Using the Municipal Websites and SeeClickFix 311 CRM solutions from CivicPlus®, the City updated its website to provide more accessible information, launched a new texting platform, and developed a custom-branded app called HeyGadsden. The app allows residents to report neighborhood issues directly to City officials, who then provide updates to residents until the issues are resolved.

“It is an honor to see our public affairs team’s hard work getting recognized on a national scale,” said Gadsden Mayor Craig Ford. “When I took office two years ago, I said one of my top priorities was to define the narrative for Gadsden. To accomplish that, we gave our citizens more tools to make their voices heard. Now, everyday residents are helping us clean up our city by submitting issues in their neighborhoods and corresponding with the ‘boots on the ground’ to get the information they need.

“I want to thank the Gadsden city council for supporting these initiatives, the talented city employees who facilitate this work, and the residents of Gadsden for taking advantage of these tools!”

The city’s changes in its public affairs efforts stemmed from the “GROW Gadsden” plan, developed by extensive resident engagement, including over 2,000 participants in various meetings and surveys. The plan replaces a 45-year-old master plan and emphasizes a cleaner and better-maintained community.

The implementation of a Municipal Website and SeeClickFix 311 CRM solutions from CivicPlus significantly improved the civic experience in Gadsden by bridging the gap between residents and government officials.

Before leveraging CivicPlus, limited options for communication led to declining trust in the City, which had experienced consistent population decline since its peak in the 1960s. Once a regional hub for industrial innovation, several manufacturers had since shuttered their doors, resulting in a loss of economic opportunity and leaving the community with a fading civic identity.

Now, increased transparency and direct engagement have enhanced trust and reliability in local government. The community has responded positively, with more residents participating in clean-up initiatives, serving on boards, and actively promoting the city of Gadsden, reflecting a strengthened sense of community involvement and partnership.

In addition to the solutions provided through CivicPlus, the City of Gadsden has added other technological tools to enhance the civic experience. Those include a video communication platform called Rep’d and a direct text messaging platform called TextMyGov.