HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Report - August 15, 2007 K-01k t
•• CITY OF LODI
COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
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AGENDA TITLE: Receive the 2007 Lodi Citizen Survey
MEETING DATE: August 15,2007
PREPARED BY: City Manager
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Receive the results of the 2007 Lodi Citizen Survey.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION: On July 31, 2007, at the Tuesday Shirtsleeve Meeting,
Dr. Thomas Miller, President of the National Research
Center, presented the results of the 2007 Lodi Citizen
Survey. Dr. Miller explained how the survey was conducted and offered its results. The City
Council was told at that time that it would be asked to formally accept the results at the August
15, 2007 City Council meeting. This is a second opportunity to discuss the survey, and as the
survey points out, 32% of Lodi's population watches the Council meetings on television.
In February 2007, the City Council authorized the City Manager to conduct a survey to measure
satisfaction levels with City services via the National Citizen Survey Program offered by the
National Research Center in Boulder, Colorado. Citizen surveys are an important indicator of
government performance, a key tool to judge whether the City is accomplishing its mission
successfully. The cost of the survey was very competitive, (total costs in the range of $13,000),
less than the 2004 survey that cost $25,700, and the current General Plan survey that also costs
in the neighborhood of $25,000.
The survey used sampling techniques and is considered a scientifically valid survey. It was
mailed to approximately 1,200 residents selected at random with 336 surveys being completed
and returned. The margin of error was within +/- 5%. The survey results were weighted by
tenure, ethnicity and gender/age to represent the community based upon the 2000 census.
The Council has been provided with a (1) summary report, (2) the full survey results, (3) cross -
tabulation of the results based upon how long the respondent lived in Lodi, income, age, and
gender, and (4) comparison of the survey with a data bank of other cities that asked the same
question and the results of the previously administered surveys.
APPROVED: r r—1
Blair KiP�City Manager
Generally, the City's core services scored well. However, there is always room for improvement.
On a 100 -point scale, the following results were reported:
Receive value for taxes paid 59
Pleased with the overall direction the City is taking 56
Lodi welcomes citizen involvement
62
The City government listens to citizens
50
Quality of police services
62
Quality of fire services
79
Quality of ambulance/emergency medical services
70
Quality of crime prevention
46
Quality of fire prevention and education
62
Quality of traffic enforcement
59
Quality of street repair
46
Quality of street cleaning
54
Street lighting
57
Sidewalk maintenance
44
Bus/Transit Services
59
Appearance of parks
66
Appearance of Hutchins Street Square
76
Quality of services at Hutchins Street Square
69
Appearance of Lodi Lake
66
Public Library services
68
Recreation programs or classes
53
Range/variety of recreation programs or classes
48
Quality of water services
53
Quality of sewer services
60
Quality of garbage collection
69
Residents thought that travel is easy in Lodi.
Residents also feel that Lodi provides a higher quality of service than the State or federal
government.
Residents want more affordable quality housing, feel that population growth is too rapid, and
jobs growth is to slow.
The survey is dense with information that will require time to analyze and digest. To make the
most out of the survey results, the Council has appointed Councilmember Hitchcock ,and the
Budget and Finance Committee has appointed John Johnson, to work with staff to review the
survey, explore the meaning of results, and make recommendations for action to the City
Manager.
FISCAL: The survey cost approximately $13,000.
r-!Wy"
Blair King, City Manager