Issue 5

Rulebook

Sep 1, 2026

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6 min read

Who answers the phone after 5pm?

Three ways to let AI field resident questions after hours, and why a five-second phone call still beats all of them for anything complicated. Plus: Martin County joins a nationwide wave of data center pauses, and Texas hits its first AI training deadline for local government.

Prompt Local

A free weekly newsletter for the people running small government offices. Each week, one AI tool that fits a real job in a small government office, records requests, meeting minutes, permits, resident questions, that kind of work. I'll show you exactly how to put it to use, plus what to watch for so it doesn't bite you later. I also flag any new AI rules landing on offices like yours. That's it. No fluff, no sales pitch. Written by Scott Olsen, CGCIO, a former local-government CIO