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I'm not convinced they read the cover letters in the first place. I'd focus more on making sure your resume is up to snuff on passing their ATS system.
Don't waste your time with a cover letter. Make sure your resume shows all your accomplishments. I am part of the hiring process in the government system and we never look at cover letters.
First off, make sure you are using an ATS optimized resume template and a bulky multi-page resume that parrots back the job description so you reach human eyes. Most government agencies are using a software, so you embed the cover letter somewhere within the skills, work experience, etc fillable fields. Be sure to apply directly on their government website because there are a lot of fake job postings from data scrapers. It's helpful to consult with your state workforce services folks because they know the nuances.
When you get an interview, it will be with a panel who most likely hasn't seen all your info, so bring copies of your cover letter and resume to them. If you're really aggressive, look at their website for their programs, and bring a work sample printout of like 6 PowerPoint slides of a potential marketing plan or board presentation or grant pitch or whatever to show you understand their goals and can synthesize and sell the goals to the public and decision makers. The scoring sheets are supposed to be public record, so look at a copy before the interview.
As for crafting the cover letter, government jobs like local hires because constituents have skin in the game, so make your first sentence say "Experienced local (area) resident seeking position as...". CUSTOMER SERVICE to both the public and each other is big in the culture, so talk about that being what you want to contribute. How your hard skills can contribute to curating an outstanding customer experience for the constituency and how your soft skills can contribute to a positive collaborative workplace. It will make you seem very realistic and in touch.
Good luck!