Submitted by: Cindy Zork
Submitting Department: Communications
Agenda Section: Consent
Item Title:
title
Selection of Hello Lampost as a new Community Engagement Tool
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Suggested Action:
recommendation
I move the Mayor and Council authorize the City Administrator to enter into a contract with Hello Lampost at a cost not to exceed $16,000 for a one-year contract for the purposes of implementing a new community engagement tool, upon the review and approval of the City Attorney for legal sufficiency. This contract is to be funded through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and will support outreach efforts for ARPA programming.
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Summary Background:
One of the goals of the City's Communication Plan is finding creative ways to engage community members who may not be signed up for the City's traditional communications methods. City Communications staff, along with the American Rescue Plan Program Manager and members of the Community and Economic Development Team are interested in pursuing a contract with Hello Lamppost to gain feedback and input on City projects through non-traditional methods.
Hello Lamppost provides an AI-driven communications platform where community members have the ability to "speak" with physical objects and infrastructure like lampposts, trees, fences, buildings, statues, and more. Signage directs users to text the object, and the object replies to have an informal conversation. The objects are programmed to ask questions that could be used to gather input for programs like the American Rescue Plan Act funding priorities and the updated City Sustainability Plan, among others. The objects can also provide place-based information or answer simple customer service questions.
Use of this product would allow City staff to connect with community members where they are and reach a wider audience than through emails or social media. Objects can be programmed to speak in multiple languages and to have a "personality", making interactin...
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