Vernon launches AI-powered municipal assistant ‘Trudy’

The Town of Vernon, Connecticut, is introducing an artificial intelligence-powered voice and chatbot system designed to provide residents with round-the-clock access to municipal information and services.

The platform, named “Trudy”, is being positioned as the first system of its kind in the state. Residents will be able to call an after-hours voice line to ask questions, submit service requests and access municipal information outside normal office hours.

The service also includes a chatbot integrated into the town’s website and supports multiple languages.

The system was developed by civic technology company Polimorphic. Vernon Mayor Dan Champagne said the initiative aims to improve access to town services beyond standard working hours.

“Our goal is to make access to local government information as easy as possible,” Champagne said. “People don’t just have questions during regular business hours. With Trudy, people will be able to get information when it is convenient for them.”

Parth Shah, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Polimorphic, said the technology was designed to simplify interactions between residents and local government.

“Residents expect the same level of accessibility from government that they experience in other parts of their daily lives,” Shah said. “This gives municipalities a way to respond more efficiently while improving access to information and services.”

The assistant was named after longtime town hall receptionist Trudy Roberts, recognising her role as a familiar point of contact for residents.

Photo: Steve Woron | Dreamstime.com