Council Report: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SATISFACTION SURVEY

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND SATISFACTION SURVEY

RECOMMENDATION:

That a community engagement and satisfaction survey be completed in early 2019 as part of the strategic planning process at a cost not to exceed $40,000.

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER’S COMMENTS:

I concur with the recommendation.

PURPOSE OF REPORT:

To seek Council support for a community engagement and satisfaction survey.

BACKGROUND:

At the beginning of a new Council term, it is important to obtain public feedback on core community values and shared goals as documented in the Town’s Official Community Plan. A community survey can capture a snapshot of residents’ perspectives, shaping the Town’s approaches to various initiatives and associated communications work as well as informing decision-making. Surveys done at regular intervals can help measure progress towards Council’s strategic objectives.

DISCUSSION:

Staff prepared a project summary for consideration in the 2019 budget deliberations (see Attachment “A”). However, this project is presented now for consideration of approval in advance of budget deliberations so that the work can be undertaken early in 2019 and the information gained used in the Town’s Corporate Strategic Planning and other initiatives as soon as possible.

The proposal envisions the undertaking of a statistically valid, in-depth (approximately 15 minutes/call) telephone survey to approximately 300-400 individuals and an on-line survey as well.

Questions are anticipated to cover service delivery, quality of life, customer satisfaction, communications and public engagement. If there is an area that Council wishes to explore, for example services or functions that the community would like to see provided, specific question(s) can be included.

If supported, information collected would be benchmark data for 2019. It is suggested additional community engagement and satisfaction surveys be carried out in future years to monitor changes over time.

BUDGET IMPLICATIONS:

The project is expected to cost up to $40,000; Casino revenue can be used to fund the project.

ALTERNATIVES TO THE RECOMMENDATION:

1. Council may wish to not pursue a community engagement and satisfaction survey at all.
2. Council may wish to wait until 2019 budget deliberations to decide if they wish to undertake a community engagement and satisfaction survey.

RECOMMENDATION:

That a community engagement and satisfaction survey be completed in early 2019 as part of the strategic planning process at a cost not to exceed $40,000.

SUBMITTED BY:
L. Chase, Director of Development Services

SUBMITTED BY:
S. Jones, Corporate Officer