New SMS Text Alert System for Village residents

Montgomery Village Foundation (MVF) is pleased to invite Montgomery Village residents to sign up for our new SMS Text Alert System as a quick, reliable and convenient way to hear from either MVF or your local homeowners association (HOA) or condominium association (COA) about important information.

From MVF, this one-way text service ensures that you’ll receive timely reminders and urgent updates of the following type:

• Community-wide special events open to the public (e.g., Independence Day Parade and Celebration, The Great Pumpkin Race and Fall Festival)
• Weather delays/closures where MVF operations are impacted or cancelled. MVF will continue to encourage residents to utilize the Rainout Line as the primary system for closure announcements.
• Community surveys
• Notice of important meetings
• Emergency text alerts specific to Montgomery Village that are the aftereffects of county and state alerts; MVF will encourage residents to sign up for Alert Montgomery as the official emergency communications service for Montgomery County to provide firsthand major crisis, emergency or severe weather information.

From your local HOA or COA, this one-way text service provides the ability to receive timely reminders and urgent updates of the following type:

• Annual Leaf Collection Schedule
• Annual County Recycling Holiday Schedule
• Trash Collection Schedule (sent quarterly)
• Recycling/Trash updates impacted by weather
• Parking Permit Renewals
• Community Repaving and Other Large Projects
• Water Main Shutdowns
• Planned Water and Power Outages

HOW IT WORKS

Residents must opt-in to receive SMS text alerts by providing consent on their free MVF website account. Text alerts will be sent from MVF via 1-866-301-9797. You may opt-out at any time by replying “STOP” to the SMS text alert. Opt-out will be honored immediately and confirmed with a final opt-out text. In that final text, you will be informed that you may text back “UNSTOP” or “START” to resume receiving text alerts.

The timing of text alerts will vary depending on type of alert. Whenever possible, text alerts will be sent Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. However, MVF non-emergency text alerts regarding special events may be sent on weekends if the special event occurs on a weekend. The frequency of alerts will vary based on necessity but should be reasonable and not exceed 3 text alerts per week unless during an emergency.

HOW TO SIGN UP

If you already have an MVF Website Account:

• Log in to www.montgomeryvillage.com (upper righthand corner) and review your profile information. Make any necessary updates.
• Be sure the box for “Receive SMS Alerts” is checked and your 10-digit mobile phone number is entered.
• Scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the “Save” button. Even if you didn’t make any changes to this page AND you previously entered your mobile number/signed up to the previous alerts system, click the Save button because this will lock in your account to receive SMS text alerts.

If you don’t:

• You need to first create an MVF Website Account. Go to montgomeryvillage.com/login-join#register and complete all fields on this page.
• Check the box to “Receive SMS Alerts” and add your 10-digit mobile phone number.
• Once you have entered all information, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click the “Create New Account” button.

That’s it! It’s so easy to sign up for the first time or to sign in to your account and click the Save button to ensure that you receive one-way SMS text alerts from MVF and from your local HOA or COA. So, don’t wait – Sign up today!