CivicPlus Helps Los Gatos Connect

CivicPlus, the leading developer of government websites and online community engagement systems, is helping Los Gatos connect with its about 30,000 residents.

With a quick click of your computer's mouse, you can request electronic notices of upcoming meeting agendas as well as events and articles posted on the “What’s New” section of the town's website on its right side.

All residents have to do is visit www.losgatosca.gov, scroll to the bottom lower left hand corner, just above the cat and click on “Notify Me.”

You'll be asked to type your email address in a box and select "sign in." 

If you want to receive text messages, you'll have to enter your phone number and select "save."

To subscribe or unsubscribe, you'll have to click on two icons to be added to the lists to which you wish to subscribe/unsubscribe to. You can subscribe via email or via text message.

Residents can choose the following lists to subscribe or unsubscribe from:

• All Points Bulletin! Townwide and neighborhood information about police activities.
• Community Unity: Updates on volunteer opportunities in Los Gatos.
• Council Agenda Packet: Notification that a new Council agenda packet has been posted on the website.
• Los Gatos: Growing Greener Together
• What's New! Weekly news about services, events and issues in Los Gatos.
• Planning Commission Agenda Packet: Notification that a new Planning Commission agenda packet has been posted on the website.

Your e-mail address will be kept confidential and it will not be sold, disclosed to others, or used for unsolicited mass mailings, according to the service.

Users will have to set their spam blocker to allow mail from listserv@civicplus.com.

Los Gatos Mayor Steve Rice said the service has been made available to town residents because its government takes communicating with its citizens seriously.

"Anything that we can do to enhance the communication with our residents is worth doing," Rice said. "CivicPlus is cost effective, efficient and easy to use."

Rice added the town has been offering residents the ability to subscribe to town alerts for more than a year.

As an example of how enlightening the service can be, Rice said a resident emailed him recently a Palo Alto government electronic newsletter and asked if the town provided a similar service.

When he responded with information about CivicPlus and provided a link to the service, the resident remarked: "This is even better than what Palo Alto has," Rice said.

Added the new mayor: "We encourage everyone to sign up and use the service."

Similarly, Los Gatos Vice Mayor Barbara Spector said Los Gatos is making an exemplary effort to keep residents and business owners informed. "This free informational service is another example of community outreach and why Los Gatos is such a special place to live," she added.

CivicPlus has designed thousands of local government websites serving millions of citizens throughout North America, according to its website.