Grand Traverse County launches CORA chatbot to guide residents online

Grand Traverse County has launched a new online assistant to help residents navigate county services and resources. The Community Online Resource Assistant, known as CORA, went live on Jan. 1, 2026, and residents visiting the county website on Jan. 14 may encounter the chatbot as the tool becomes operational.

County leaders deployed CORA to provide a quicker way for people to locate information on services such as permitting, records, public health guidance and other county offerings. The assistant is embedded on the county website and is intended to reduce the time spent hunting through menus and PDF documents by presenting direct links and answers online.

For residents, the change is practical: instead of calling multiple departments or waiting for email responses, county website visitors can try CORA first to find the page or contact they need. That convenience could be significant for busy families, small business owners, and seasonal residents managing property or licensing tasks from afar. It may also reshape how staff field routine inquiries, letting human employees focus on complex cases that need personal attention.

At the same time, the rollout raises questions common to digital-service upgrades. Not everyone uses chat tools comfortably; older residents and those with limited broadband in outlying townships may prefer phone or in-person help. The county’s website remains the official hub for documents and contact information, and residents who have difficulty with the chatbot should continue using established phone lines and department offices to confirm details or complete sensitive transactions.

CORA’s introduction also highlights a broader shift in how local governments use technology to deliver services. For a community that mixes year-round households with vacation properties and a sizable senior population, adopting a virtual assistant aims to balance accessibility and efficiency. The effectiveness of the assistant will depend on the accuracy of its links and answers, and on the county’s willingness to update content as policies and procedures change.

If you plan to interact with CORA, approach it as a first stop: use the chatbot to find webpages, forms, office hours and basic eligibility information, then verify important details directly with the relevant county office. If CORA does not return the help you need, the county website still lists department contacts and office locations for direct assistance.

Our two cents? Treat CORA like a helpful clerk at the front desk, not the final word. Use it to speed up routine searches, but follow up with county staff for anything official or complicated so you’re fully covered.