Bristol, Indiana—home to 1,700 residents and the producer of 80% of America's corn dogs—implemented GOGov's citizen notification platform to bridge communication gaps in a town with thousands of daily commuters. Town Manager Mike Yoder recognized that traditional channels like websites and Facebook weren't reaching residents with timely updates about road construction, detours, and community events. Through their branded app "Our Town Bristol Indiana," multiple departments now share real-time alerts about infrastructure projects, town news, and events like the annual Corn Dog Festival. This small Elkhart County community demonstrates how municipalities with limited staff can leverage mobile technology to keep both residents and daily commuters informed and connected.

About Bristol, IN

Located in Elkhart County, Bristol, Indiana, is a small town of roughly 1,700 residents with a large commercial footprint. While the residential population is modest, the town welcomes thousands of workers each day to its manufacturing sector. One of Bristol's most notable claims to fame is Monogram Foods, where over 80% of the corn dogs made in the United States are produced – over 1 million a day. The town celebrates this heritage each year with its Corn Dog Festival, now in its fourth year, highlighting Bristol's unique blend of small-town charm and industrial significance.

Bristol continues to grow and expand its infrastructure, with major street renovation projects currently underway, demonstrating the town's commitment to maintaining a safe, modern, and connected community.

The Challenge That Led Bristol to GOGov

Like many municipalities, Bristol faced challenges in keeping residents informed amid a rapidly growing information landscape. While the town maintains a website, Facebook page, and email list for business owners, leadership recognized the need for a more direct, accessible channel to share timely updates with residents.

As Town Manager Mike Yoder explained, the idea of using a muncipal branded mobile app aligned with the town's goals: "A phone app seems to be one of the latest go-to means of communicating with residents. It's a relatively low-cost and convenient way for the town to share important information."

Implementation & Early Use

Bristol adopted GOGov's citizen notifications through their branded app, Our Town Bristol Indiana, to provide residents with updates on town news, events, and ongoing projects. The app serves as a central hub for notifications, giving residents quick access to important information such as road closures, detours, and construction schedules.

Departments across the town have the ability to send updates directly through the app, and Town Manager Mike Yoder plans to continue encouraging staff to make citizen notifications a regular part of daily operations. The town also sees potential in expanding outreach to the thousands of daily commuters, helping them stay informed about traffic, construction, and community events.

Early Wins & Future Plans

Even in its early stages, Our Town Bristol Indiana provides a reliable way to keep residents informed about key municipal updates. Alerts about road construction, street detours, and town events allow residents to plan ahead and stay connected.

Looking forward, Bristol plans to expand the app's use to highlight local businesses, promote events like the Corn Dog Festival, and keep both residents and visitors informed about community initiatives. By making the app a central part of communication, the town aims to strengthen engagement and foster a more connected community.

Advice to Other Municipalities

Mike Yoder encourages other towns to consider a platform like Citizen Notifications:

"It's an important tool for communicating with residents and the community. Especially in small towns with limited staff, having a reliable way to share timely updates helps keep people informed and connected."

Your Municipality Powered by GOGov

GOGov is committed to helping municipalities and local governments enhance community engagement, streamline operations, and foster transparent communication. Our partnership with Bristol demonstrates the potential of our solutions to make a meaningful impact on local governments and districts of all sizes, and our continued efforts to improve and innovate further.  

GOGov specializes in providing CRM, Code Enforcement, Citizen Notifications, Online Permitting and mobile software to local governments of all sizes. We built our software from the ground up working with the departments and staff that now use our products every single day.

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