15.A.
City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 08/26/2013
- From:
- Kimberly Ott, Public Information Officer
Information
TITLE
Discussion of 2013 Resident Survey
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
Review and discuss the 2013 Resident Survey Instrument/Questions
INFORMATION
Resident surveys are important and extremely helpful in gauging our residents' thoughts and impressions about City government services, programs, taxes and issues. The results provide a comparison to previous years, and show improvements or continued challenges. These surveys can also help identify the need for additional resources or public education, and determine the placement of future ballot issues. This year's survey will also allow Flagstaff to compare or benchmark ourselves with other communities around the nation.
The last residents' survey was completed in 2009. While a survey had been administered annually since 2000, financial limitations during the recession moved this to a lower priority until money was budgeted last fiscal year. Timing is critical in the administration of the survey, so the money to complete the survey was rolled over to this fiscal year to allow the survey to take place in the fall and before the holiday season.
National Research Center from Boulder, Colorado was selected through a highly competitive RFP process. The City sought assistance in rating and comparing survey companies from an individual at Northern Arizona University, who previously administered the City's survey for the Social Research Lab before it closed. A significant difference in this year's survey will be that it will be administered by mail and online rather than phone calls. NRC believes that the success rate is higher with an online and mail-in survey due to that fact that land lines are disappearing and identifying cell phones in a geographic area is difficult and not as accurate. The cost for the survey project is just under $20,000.
The survey will be mailed to 1,500 randomly selected Flagstaff residents. The City will begin promoting the survey and the importance of participation throughout the months of September, October and November. A prenotification postcard will be sent the week of September 23. The first wave of surveys will sent the week of September 30 and will include a letter from Mayor Nabours asking for their participation. The second wave of surveys will be sent the week of October 7. NRC will have all data back by November 8 at which time they will begin analysis. Council will receive the final report before the end of December.
The last residents' survey was completed in 2009. While a survey had been administered annually since 2000, financial limitations during the recession moved this to a lower priority until money was budgeted last fiscal year. Timing is critical in the administration of the survey, so the money to complete the survey was rolled over to this fiscal year to allow the survey to take place in the fall and before the holiday season.
National Research Center from Boulder, Colorado was selected through a highly competitive RFP process. The City sought assistance in rating and comparing survey companies from an individual at Northern Arizona University, who previously administered the City's survey for the Social Research Lab before it closed. A significant difference in this year's survey will be that it will be administered by mail and online rather than phone calls. NRC believes that the success rate is higher with an online and mail-in survey due to that fact that land lines are disappearing and identifying cell phones in a geographic area is difficult and not as accurate. The cost for the survey project is just under $20,000.
The survey will be mailed to 1,500 randomly selected Flagstaff residents. The City will begin promoting the survey and the importance of participation throughout the months of September, October and November. A prenotification postcard will be sent the week of September 23. The first wave of surveys will sent the week of September 30 and will include a letter from Mayor Nabours asking for their participation. The second wave of surveys will be sent the week of October 7. NRC will have all data back by November 8 at which time they will begin analysis. Council will receive the final report before the end of December.