SOUTH AMBOY — The City Council is considering using the Nixle communication service to alert residents of crime and emergency alerts.
At the Feb. 6 council business meeting, a range of items was discussed, including the use of the new communication tool. Mayor Fred Henry reported that he met with representatives from Nixle and the township police department regarding the service.
Through Nixle, the police department would be able to send out emergency messages to residents who sign up for the service. Sayreville and Spotswood, among other towns, use the service.
“They were very much on board with the program,” Henry said of the police department, stressing that the service would not cost the city anything to use.
He also said the police department already has a point person designated for sending out the messages.
However, he said, the service wouldn’t be effective unless residents signed up for it with an email address and an optional cell phone number. As such, the council discussed sending out a note with the quarterly tax bill.
“It doesn’t work unless they sign up,” Henry said.
In addition, Business Administrator Camille Tooker said at the meeting that she was planning to meet with the borough administrator in Sayreville to see what opportunities for shared services may exist. Councilman Mickey Gross told Tooker he had provided her with some of his suggestions.