HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem # 14 Community Opinion Survey Summary Report - SRPage 1 of 2
REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL
To:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From:Grant Yates, City Manager
Prepared By: Nicole Dailey, Senior Management Analyst
Date:January 10, 2017
SUBJECT:Community Opinion Survey Summary Report
Recommendation
Receive and file the 2016 Community Opinion Survey conducted by True North Research, Inc.
Background
Last year, the City began its efforts to develop a long-term strategic plan called the Dream
Extreme 2040 Plan. The plan is expected to outline future projects and needs for the City over
the next 25 years in pursuit of achieving its vision to become the ultimate lake destination where
all can live, work and play, build futures and fulfill dreams.
As part of the City’s efforts to develop this plan, the City Council authorized a professional services
agreement with True North Research, Inc. (True North) to conduct its first Community Opinion
Survey. The primary focus of the survey was to gauge overall community satisfaction with City
services and gather opinions, perceptions and priorities about the City, its services and future
plans and/or needs. More specifically, True North was tasked with the following:
•Coordinate with City officials to formulate survey questions and design the appropriate survey
instrument to gather accurate, objective and statistically reliable information.
•Identify the optimal sampling methodology and sample size that will achieve scientifically valid
results. This includes identifying and developing the proposed sample list.
•Recommend and implement the most appropriate data collection methodologies to arrive at
reliable results, e.g. telephone, social media, internet, etc.
•Conduct the community survey using the appropriate sampling methodologies and survey
instruments.
•Analyze the data and compile a comprehensive report outlining the survey methods, key
findings, comparisons to other similar municipalities, conclusions, recommendations and
other cross tabulations.
Community Opinion Survey Summary Report
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•Develop and complete an oral presentation to the City Council of the key findings and
recommendations.
Discussion
True North worked closely with staff and the City Council’s Dream Extreme Subcommittee to
design the survey questions and instrument to gather accurate, objective and statistically reliable
information. The data collection period began on September 7 and the survey was conducted
through mailed invitations, emailed invitations and phone calls. A total of 618 residents
participated in the survey.
The survey was designed to:
•Profile residents’ perceptions of the quality of life in Lake Elsinore.
•Identify aspects of the City that residents most want to preserve, as well as specific
changes that would improve the quality of life in Lake Elsinore.
•Measure residents’ overall satisfaction with the City’s efforts to provide municipal services,
and their satisfaction with a variety of specific services.
•Gather opinions on topics such as shopping, economic development, and spending
priorities.
•Profile the sources residents rely upon for information about Lake Elsinore news, events
and programs, as well as their preferred means of communicating with the City.
•Collect additional background and demographic data relevant to understanding residents’
perceptions, needs, and interests.
Overall, the community was generally satisfied with the City and its services with 65% indicating
they were either very or somewhat satisfied with the City’s efforts to provide municipal services
and 62% were satisfied with the quality of life. True North will present a brief overview of the firm’s
key findings and recommendations from the survey. A full Community Opinion Survey Summary
Report of the results are also attached in Exhibit A.
Ultimately, the survey results and analysis presented in the Summary Report will be used by the
City and staff to make sound, strategic decisions in a variety of areas including prioritization,
planning, performance measurement, policymaking, community engagement and budgeting. The
City plans to conduct regular surveys every few years to set measurable benchmarks, establish
strategic long-term goals and regularly assess progress toward accomplishing these goals.
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact.
Exhibits
Exhibit A – Community Opinion Survey Summary Report