To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: Kristin Zagurski, Assistant to the Town Manager
Title
Discussion/Direction: Draft Community Survey
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
The Town’s 2017 Major Projects Work Program calls for a resident and business survey to be completed this year. To help accomplish that project, the Town retained the firm Northwest Research Group.
Northwest conducted initial research related to the project the week of January 17 and has provided draft surveys for Council and staff’s discussion tonight. Staff asks that Council provide any feedback on the drafts and then authorize staff to work with Northwest to finalize the survey, which is planned to be scientifically administered online and by phone from March 2 to April 2.
The survey will help the Town better understand how the community views its Town government. Data from this year’s survey will be compared to data from similar surveys conducted in 2015, 2013 and 2011, and any movements in opinion will be reported. Results from the survey are anticipated in May and will be used for ongoing strategic planning and budgeting purposes.
Discussion
As discussed with Council on January 17, the Town this year will conduct an omnibus survey of residents and business owners. Northwest Research Group solicited input from Town leadership and used that to strategically develop the draft community and business surveys attached to this memo.
In response to a specific Councilmember request at the January 17 Council meeting, the survey includes two question - Special 3 and Special 3A - on support for public transportation and interest in tax support for public transportation.
Also at the January 17 Council meeting, a community member during public comment expressed interest in a survey question concerning a mayor at-large question. If the Council desires such a question, it can be included.
Overall, the resident survey (Attachment A) is expected to take about 30 minutes
to complete. It also includes questions in these areas:
• General questions about the quality of life and quality and value of services in Town and a question regarding whether the Town is headed in the right direction; these will be used to compare Castle Rock to communities across the country
• Questions regarding Castle Rock as a place to live, including asking about important issues in and aspects of the Town, as well as regarding how well the Town keeps residents informed and how likely residents are to recommend
Castle Rock as a place to work, raise children, retire and do business
• Evaluations of specific aspects of Town services including Police, Fire/EMS, Roads/Public Works, Water and Parks and Recreation
• Thoughts regarding the Town’s strategic priorities, how growth in Castle Rock should be managed and regarding community character and special events
• Demographics and other general information
The business survey (Attachment B), meanwhile, is expected to take about 10 minutes. It focuses on these areas:
• Issues affecting business in Town, including financial health of businesses and the environment that exists here for employees
• The quality and value of the services the Town provides to businesses in Town,
as well as how growth is managed in Town
• General sentiments regarding whether the Town is headed in the right direction and whether respondents would recommend doing business in Castle Rock
• Demographics and other general information
The scientific sample for the residents will include at least 400 responses, yielding a maximum error of +4.9 percent at the 95 percent confidence level. A minimum of
150 businesses will be surveyed, producing a maximum error of +7.9 percent at the
95 percent confidence level. Results may be weighted to match Castle Rock’s population in terms of age, income and other key demographics.
Those who respond to the scientific study will be offered a $5 gift card to the Outlets at Castle Rock as an incentive to participate. In addition to the scientific study, which will be password protected, the offer to complete a supplemental survey will be extended to the entire community sometime in April.
Northwest will analyze data from the survey, cross-tabulating factors such as age, gender, length of residence and other key dynamics. Initial findings will be presented to Council in May. The results will be useful in strategic decision-making and budgeting.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends administering the 2017 resident and business surveys as presented in Attachments A and B and as discussed to be finalized during the February 21 Town Council meeting.
Motion
“I move to authorize staff to work with Northwest Research Group to finalize the survey as discussed tonight and to administer it as outlined in this memo.”
Attachment
Attachment A: Draft Resident Survey from Northwest Research Group
Attachment B: Draft Business