'Alexa' Soon To Have A Sister In Vernon Named 'Trudy'

VERNON, CT — Most homes in Vernon likely have "Alexa" in their homes, but on the municipal side, they're about to get acquainted with "Trudy."

The town of Vernon is launching an after-hours voice line that will make town services and information available to residents 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Subscribe

And in dozens of languages.

The system is been named "Trudy" in honor of longtime town hall receptionist Trudy Roberts. It is designed to assist callers with common questions, allow them to make service requests, and find answers to frequently asked questions. The system, provided by Polimorphic, is powered by artificial intelligence.

It will be available beginning May 12.

The company has also placed a widget at the bottom right of the town web page to assist visitors with
searches for information.

"Our goal is to make access to local government information as easy as possible," Vernon Mayor Dan 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."

People calling the after-hours voice line can ask questions and receive answers immediately. There will also be a chatbot component on the town website.

"The town always looks for ways to make it easier for our residents to get the information they need," Town Administrator John Kleinhans said. "We continuously update our web page and social media, and look for new ways to get information to our community. The Polimorphic system will continue that process. And calling it Trudy is a nice way to honor a beloved town employee who for many residents was
the face of Vernon."

Vernon’s Trudy system is Polimorphic’s first rollout in Connecticut.

"Governments are under increasing pressure to do more with less, while still delivering excellent service," said Parth Shah, CEO of Polimorphic. "By introducing a voice line, Vernon is taking a forward-thinking approach, giving residents instant access to information 24/7 while freeing up staff to focus on higher- impact work during the day.”

Trudy Roberts worked as the town hall receptionist for nearly four decades and was well known for welcoming visitors, her kind words and cheerful and chatty nature. She retired in October 2024 at age 92.

She died Nov. 16, 2024 on her 93rd birthday.

Town offices are open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, and they are closed Friday.