Building a Digital City, Securely and Confidently
When generative AI emerged, City Manager Matthew Huish saw both the opportunity and the risk. As a public agency, Sequim needed a way to help staff explore AI without exposing sensitive information. Assistant City Manager Merrin Packer supported that work by focusing on everyday staff needs, practical use cases, and responsible adoption across departments. Together, they found a secure and practical path forward with GovAI.
- Who
- Matthew Huish, City Manager · Merrin Packer, Assistant City Manager
- Where
- City of Sequim, Washington
- What stood out
- Security first · Train everyone · Then department by department
“AI felt like a no-brainer, the question was how to utilize it safely.”
AI offered real promise, and a public agency needed boundaries.
When generative AI hit the market, Sequim’s leadership quickly recognized that it could help staff work more efficiently, produce stronger work, and support the city’s broader move toward becoming a more digital organization.
As a public agency, Sequim also had to be careful. Anything entered into the public domain could become public, and the city could not risk exposing sensitive information, resident data, or internal materials.
“AI felt like a no-brainer, the question was how to utilize it safely. We’re running a city. Anything you place in the public domain becomes public. So, we knew we needed controls and safe boundaries.”
For city leaders like Huish and Packer, the answer was a platform built for local government, one that gave staff safe, supported access to AI.
“We are always looking for tools that support staff and relieve them from routine, redundant or mundane tasks.”
Built for local government, with the guardrails Sequim needed.
Sequim evaluated early AI vendors through a national task force, looking at tools that could support different city functions. GovAI stood out because it was built for local government, with the security, customization, and training support staff needed to adopt AI responsibly.
“We liked that GovAI focuses on government clients, our sensitive data, and our resident’s information concerns. The training commitment from GovAI was significant.”
Train everyone first, then go deeper.
Sequim moved quickly from evaluation to implementation. The city set up mandatory training for all employees, recorded sessions for replay, and then followed with department-specific sessions built on job-specific examples.
Packer and the IT Director became internal champions, helping staff see how GovAI could support their actual work. They began building Folios and assistants for specific tasks, making AI practical and relevant across the organization.
“The idea that we can place multiple documents into a folio and create our own systems for executing a work outcome was exciting.”
Time back, quality up, and more capability without more complexity.
For Sequim, GovAI quickly went past first drafts. Packer uses it daily to draft from previous work, refine ideas, check math, translate legalese into plain language, and find clearer wording for public communications.
GovAI also helped the city close functionality gaps without developer resources. Packer described using GovAI to produce custom HTML she could paste into the city’s content management software and website, solving problems she could not have coded herself.
“One brain is one brain. GovAI provides me with multiple illuminating perspectives.”
“I’m not a code writer, but GovAI produced custom HTML I could paste into our content management software and our website, and it works amazingly.”
Monthly usage reports helped build momentum.
Sequim’s IT team publishes monthly usage reports by department, topic, and user. For city leadership, that visibility keeps AI front and center, encourages continued adoption, and shows where staff are finding value.
“Sharing the data keeps AI visible and usage trending up.”
Takeaways for local government leaders.
Based on Sequim’s implementation, these four practices helped make citywide AI adoption successful and sustainable.
Helping Sequim become a smart, digital city.
Sequim is thinking long term. The city is investing in technology that helps staff work smarter, supports better service delivery, and prepares the organization for the future of local government.
With GovAI providing the security, training, and practical tools staff need, Sequim is building a foundation that can grow with the organization.
“We’re a small rural town transitioning to become a smart, digital city, and GovAI is playing a key role in that transformation.”
GovAI
Built for local government.
GovAI is the AI work platform for local government. Staff use it every day to finish real work across departments, with guardrails built in.
Could your city be the next story?
Tell us about your organization, and we’ll show you how a rollout like this one could start for you.