[1. CALL TO ORDER]
[00:00:06]
>> SPEAKER: CALL TO ORDER IT TONIGHT COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE
[2. MINUTES.]
FOR ALL BRING TO THE COUNCIL MEETING MAY 3, 2022.COUNCIL SHOULD HAVE THE MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 19 COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE WITH THE ADDITIONS OR CORRECTIONS FOR THOSE MINUTES.
MOVED TO APPROVE? >> SPEAKER: MOVED.
>> SPEAKER: MOTION AND SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE? ANY POST? THE MINUTES CARRY FORWARD.
>> SPEAKER: MAYER, CAN YOU PULL YOUR MICROPHONE DOWN.
NOBODY CAN HEAR YOU. >> SPEAKER: OKAY.
NOT USED TO THIS YOU -- NEW TIME.
[3. CITIZEN SURVEY PRESENTATION.]
>> SPEAKER: THERE YOU GO. >> SPEAKER: CITIZENS SURVEY PRESENTATION. I WILL TURN THIS OVER TO YOU,
CITY MANAGER. >> SPEAKER: THIS EVENING, TWO YEARS AGO YOU HAD A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE CITIZEN SURVEY THAT WAS JUST VIDEOED. WE WERE IN THE THICK OF COVID AND THIS TIME WE HAVE JASON MAROTTA WHO IS JOINING US FROM EDC INTO TWO. IS JOINING US FOR A ZOOM.
A 15 TO 20 MINUTE PRESENTATION AND I DIDN'T WANT HIM TO HAVE TO TRAVEL HERE FROM KANSAS CITY FOR SUCH A SHORT PRESENTATION.
HE IS GOING TO GO OVER EVERYTHING AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO INTERACT WITH HIM. HE CAN'T SEE YOU BUT HE CAN HEAR YOU. AND SO YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS AND INTERACT AS IF HE'S IN THE ROOM.
JUST A QUICK NOTE, THE SURVEY AS I MENTIONED LATE LAST WEEK WAS NEARING READY TO GO BUT WE DIDN'T HAVEN'T QUITE FINISHED FOR TODAY. I ANTICIPATE IT BEING READY TOMORROW TO DISTRIBUTE. I WILL OFFER YOU BOTH PRINT VERSIONS AND LINKS TO THE WEBSITE AND FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC THIS PRESENTATION IS BEING RECORDED NOW AND ANYBODY CAN WATCH A BUT WE WILL ALSO EDIT IT AND PUT IT ON THE CITIZENS SURVEY SITE FOR THIS PIECE.
ALL OF THAT WILL BE RELEASED IT IS LIKELY TOMORROW.
>> SPEAKER: RECORDING IN PROGRESS.
>> SPEAKER: GREG IS MAKING SURE.
WE WILL BE ABLE TO GET THIS OUT VERY PUBLICLY THIS WEEK.
SO JASON IF YOU ARE READY. >> SPEAKER: OKAY.
I'M READY. MY NAME IS JASON MAROTTA I'M WITH THE ATC INSTITUTE. TODAY I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE RESULTS FROM THE 2022 COMMUNITY SURVEY THAT WE JUST FINISHED CONDUCTING FOR THE CITY OF AUBURN.
WE MOST RECENTLY CONDUCTED YOUR SURVEY IN 2020, RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC IN FEBRUARY OF THAT YEAR AND WE FIRST CONDUCTED YOUR SURVEY WAY BACK IN 2006. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS SURVEY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS NOW SO TODAY I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH THE MOST RECENT RESULTS OF THE SURVEY.
JUST A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT ETT INTO TWO.
WE ARE BASED IN A LIFE IN KANSAS WHICH IS IN THE KANSAS CITY AREA BUT WE ARE A NATIONAL LEADER IN PROVIDING MARKET RESEARCH FOR GOVERNMENTS. WE HAVE BEEN DOING THIS TYPE OF WORK FOR 40 YEARS AND IN THE LAST TEN YEARS ALONE WE HAVE CONDUCTED SURVEYS IN MORE THAN 900 COMMUNITIES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THIS IS REALLY THE TYPE OF WORK THAT WE SPECIALIZE IN. THIS IS JUST A QUICK RUNDOWN OF WHAT I WILL GO THROUGH TODAY. I WILL GO OVER THE PURPOSE AND METHODOLOGY OF THE SURVEY, WHAT I CALL THE BOTTOM FRONT -- THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE SURVEY AND THEN I WILL GO THROUGH THE MAJOR SURVEY FINDINGS TO SHOW HOW WE CAME TO THESE CONCLUSIONS.
I WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AS WELL.
THERE ARE SEVERAL REASONS TO CONDUCT A SURVEY LIKE THIS.
ONE IS TO GET AN OBJECTIVE ASSESSMENT OF HOW SATISFIED RESIDENTS ARE WITH MAJOR CITY SERVICES AND ALSO TO DETERMINE WHAT RESIDENTS FEEL ARE THE TOP PRIORITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY.
WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO MEASURE TRENDS FROM PREVIOUS SURVEYS.
MOST OF THESE QUESTIONS ARE THE SAME ONES THAT WE ASKED LAST TIME IN 2020 AND SOME OF THESE QUESTIONS WE HAVE BEEN ASKING EVERY YEAR GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2006.
AND THEN WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO COMPARE YOUR RESULTS WITH OTHER COMMUNITIES. THIS SURVEY WAS ADMINISTERED BY A COMBINATION OF MAIL AND ONLINE TO RANDOMLY SELECTED RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND THAT IS OUR STANDARD METHODOLOGY WITH THESE SURVEYS IS MAIL OR ONLINE. OUR GOAL IS TO COMPLETE AT LEASD RESPONSE. WE ENDED UP WITH 685.
THE RESULTS OF THOSE 685 SURVEYS , 95 PERCENT LEVEL OF CONFIDENCE HAS A MARGIN OF ERROR OF PLUS OR MINUS 3.7 PERCENT.
ESSENTIALLY THAT MEANS THAT IF WE CONDUCTED THIS SURVEY THE SAME WAY 100 TIMES, 95 TIMES THE RESULT WOULD BE PLUS OR MINUS 3.7 PERCENT FROM WHAT WE GOT. THE RESULTS AREN'T PERFECT BUT THE MARGIN OF ERROR IS VERY SMALL.
HERE WE HAVE A MAP OF THE CITY, THE RED DOTS ARE HOUSEHOLD THAT COMPLETED A SURVEY. WE HAD A VERY GOOD DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT THE CITY AND AS WE WERE ADMINISTERING THE SURVEY, WE WERE MONITORING THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF SURVEY RESPONDENTS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THE SURVEY RESPONDENTS REFLECT THE ACTUAL POPULATION OF THE CITY.
WE MADE SURE WE HAD A GOOD REPRESENTATION FROM KEY
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DEMOGRAPHIC AREAS SUCH AS AGE, RACE, ETHNICITY AND GENDER.HERE ARE OUR MAIN CONCLUSION FROM THE SURVEY.
WE FOUND THAT RESIDENTS HAVE A VERY POSITIVE PERCEPTION OF THE CITY OF AUBURN. 95 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS NOTED AUBURN IS AN EXCELLENT A GOOD PLACE TO LIVE AND 94 PERCENT FEEL AUBURN IS AN EXCELLENT OR GOOD PLACE TO RAISE CHILDREN.
THESE NUMBERS HAVE CONSISTENTLY BEEN SOME OF THE HIGHEST ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. EVERY TIME WE HAVE CONDUCTED THE SURVEY. WE ALSO FOUND THAT OVERALL SATISFACTION RATINGS ARE SIMILAR FROM THIS YEAR TO WHAT THEY WERE IN 2020 AND THAT IS A REALLY GOOD SIGN BECAUSE THE LAST SURVEY WAS ADMINISTERED RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
MOST CITIES THAT WE HAVE SURVEYED RECENTLY HAD A DECREASE IN SATISFACTION NOW COMPARED TO WHERE THEY WERE TWO OR THREE YEARS AGO. AND THE RESULTS WERE REALLY EXCELLENT IN 2020. SO THAT IS A GREAT SIGN OF THE SATISFACTION RATINGS OVERALL ARE SIMILAR TO WHAT THEY WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO OUR CAR WE ALSO FOUND THAT SATISFACTION WITH CITY SERVICES IS MUCH HIGHER IN AUBURN THAN OTHER CITIES, RATED SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE THE U.S. AVERAGE WITH 69 OUT OF 72 AREAS COMPARED. WE WILL LOOK AT SOME OF THESE IN MORE DETAIL THAN A LITTLE BIT BUT THERE ARE A COUPLE OF AREAS SPECIFICALLY WANTED TO MENTION THAT STAND OUT.
ONE IS THAT THE OVERALL QUALITY OF CITY SERVICES IS 36 PERCENT ABOVE THE U.S. AVERAGE AND THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTIONS ON THE SURVEY. BECAUSE THEY WERE ASKING RESIDENTS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ALL OF THE SERVICES THAT ARE PROVIDED, TYPICALLY IF YOU -- YOUR RATINGS ARE HIGHER THAN OTHER CITY FOR THE OVERALL QUALITY OF CITY SERVICES, IT MEANS THE RATINGS ARE VERY HIGH ON THE MORE SPECIFIC SERVICES AS WELL. SO THAT IS REALLY KIND OF AN INDICATOR OF HOW WELL YOU ARE DOING OVER ALL.
ANOTHER AREA THAT REALLY STOOD OUT WAS THE OVERALL QUALITY OF CUSTOMER SERVICE. THERE YOU ALSO RATED 36 PERCENT ABOVE THE U.S. AVERAGE. IN THE TOP OVERALL PRIORITIES WERE TRAFFIC FLOW AND MAINTENANCE OF CITY INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THOSE HAVE BEEN YOUR TOP TWO PRIORITIES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
FIRST WE WILL LOOK AT SOME GENERAL PERCEPTIONS THAT RESIDENTS HAD FOR THE CITY. HERE WE ASKED RESIDENTS TO RATED THEIR PERCEPTIONS OF THE CITY IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.
THE DARK BLUE IS VERY SATISFIED, LIGHT BLUE IS SATISFIED.
THE GOLD IS NEUTRAL AND WE INTERPRET NEUTRAL IS MEETING EXPECTATIONS SO A RATING OF THREE ON A FIVE-POINT SCALE.
AND THE PINK ARE THOSE WHO ARE DISSATISFIED OR VERY DISSATISFIED. SO OBVIOUSLY THE POSITIVE RATINGS FAR OUTWEIGH THE NEGATIVE.
MOST RESIDENTS ARE SATISFIED WITH THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE CITY AND THE IMAGE OF THE CITY.
THE THING THAT STANDS OUT TO ME THE MOST HERE IS THAT 87 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS ARE SATISFIED WITH THE OVERALL QUALITY OF CITY SERVICES AND THAT IS COMPARED TO ONLY 2 PERCENT WHO WERE DISSATISFIED. AND AGAIN, THAT IS REALLY AN INDICATOR OF HOW WELL YOU ARE DOING OVER ALL.
WE ALSO ASKED ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN AUBURN.
MOST RESIDENTS FEEL AUBURN IS AN EXCELLENT OR GOOD PLACE TO LIVE AND TO RAISE CHILDREN MOST ALSO FEEL AUBURN IS A GREAT PLACE TO WORK, TO DO TO BUSINESS, AND FEEL LIKE AUBURN IS A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY. THIS WAS THE VERY FIRST QUESTION ON THE SURVEY. HERE WE ARE ASKING RESIDENTS TO RATE MAJOR CATEGORIES OF STATE SERVICES AND THEN LATER ON IN THE SURVEY WE ASK ABOUT SOME MORE SPECIFIC AREAS WITHIN SOME OF THESE CATEGORIES. HERE WE ARE ASKING RESIDENTS REALLY TO RATE AREAS IN THE BIG PICTURE DEPARTMENT.
ONCE AGAIN THE POSITIVE RATINGS FAR OUTWEIGH THE NEGATIVE.
A LOT MORE BLUE THAN PINK. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY STOOD OUT TO ME HERE IS HOW FEW RESIDENTS ARE DISSATISFIED WITH ANY OF THESE SERVICES. OTHER THAN TRAFFIC FLOW, FOR EVERYTHING ELSE 12 PERCENT OR LESS ARE DISSATISFIED, THERE IS A LOT OF AREAS WERE LESS THAN 5 PERCENT ARE DISSATISFIED.
EVEN FOR TRAFFIC FLOW, WHICH IS THE LOWEST RATED AREA, YOU HAVE A LOT MORE POSITIVE RATINGS THAN NEGATIVE AND FOR A FAST-GROWING CITY, IT IS TYPICAL FOR THE SATISFACTION RATINGS FOR TRAFFIC FLOW TO BE LOWER THAN SOME OF THE OTHER CATEGORIES THAT WE SURVEYED. SO WE ALSO FOUND THAT SATISFACTION WITH THE OVERALL QUALITY OF CITY SERVICES IS HIGHER IN ALL PARTS OF THE CITY. SO HERE WE AGAIN HAVE A MAP OF THE CITY AND WHAT WE DID HERE IS WE BROKE RESULTS OUT BY CENSUS BLOCK. SO THESE ARE VERY SMALL AREAS AND WITH -- WHAT THIS DOES IS IT TELLS US IF RESIDENTS IN DIFFERENT PART OF THE CITY VIEW SERVES IT DIFFERENTLY OR HAVE DIFFERENT PERCEPTIONS OF THE CITY.
THIS MAP IS FOR THE OVERALL QUALITY OF CITY SERVICES AND YOU CAN SEE THE ENTIRE MAP IS BLUE. IN FACT SOME OF THE AREAS ARE DARK BLUE WHICH IS THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATING.
SO THIS TELLS US THAT RESIDENTS OF ALL PARTS OF THE CITY ARE SATISFIED WITH THE OVERALL QUALITY OF CITY SERVICES.
SOMETIMES WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT EVEN IF THE RATINGS ARE VERY POSITIVE OVERALL, ONCE YOU BREAK INTO THE SMALLER GEOGRAPHIC
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AREAS, YOU SEE SOME AREAS WHERE RESIDENTS ARE -- AREN'T AS SATISFIED I DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY ARE GETTING AS GOOD OF SERVICES AS PEOPLE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.BUT HERE YOU CAN SEE THAT YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB PROVIDING SERVICES EQUALLY IN ALL PARTS OF THE CITY.
THIS MAP IS FOR HOW RESIDENTS FEEL ABOUT AUBURN'S AS A PLACE TO LIVE. NOT ONLY IS THE ENTIRE MAP BLUE BUT MOST OF IT IS DARK BLUE WHICH IS THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE RATING. SO RESIDENTS THROUGHOUT THE CITY FEEL THAT AUBURN IS A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE.
AND THE SAME THING FOR AUBURN AS A PLACE TO RAISE CHILDREN.
THROUGHOUT THE CITY, RESIDENTS FEEL THAT AUBURN IS A GREAT PLACE TO RAISE CHILDREN. WE ALSO COMPARED YOUR RESULTS TO OTHER COMMUNITIES. AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, YOU RAISE SIGNIFICANT HIGHER THAN THE U.S. AVERAGE, 69 OF THE 72 AREAS THAT WE COMPARED. FOR THESE NEXT FEW CHARTS, THE DARK BLUE LINE ARE AUBURN RESIDENTS WHO WERE VERY SATISFIED OR SATISFIED, THE GOLD BAR SATISFACTION RATINGS FOR RESIDENTS FROM ALL ACROSS THE U.S.
SO THIS FIRST CHART IS FOR PERCEPTIONS OF THE CITY, AND YOU CAN SEE YOUR RATINGS ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN OTHER CITIES AS A PLACE FOR THE OVERALL IMAGE, OVERALL VALUE RECEIVED FOR TAX DOLLARS AND THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF THE CITY.
ONE OF THE AREAS THAT REALLY STANDS OUT IS THAT 87 PERCENT OF RESIDENTS ARE SATISFIED WITH OVERALL QUALITY OF CITY SERVICES AND THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS ONLY 51 PERCENT.
ANOTHER ONE THAT REALLY STANDS OUT IS THAT 76 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS ARE SATISFIED WITH THE OVERALL VALUE OF CITY FOR TAX DOLLARS AND THAT IS MORE THAN DOUBLED THE NATIONAL AVERAGE OF 34 PERCENT. SO NOT ONLY DO MOST RESIDENTS FEEL LIKE YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB PROVIDING SERVICES, BUT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE GETTING EXCELLENT VALUE FOR THEIR SERVICES AS WELL. HERE WE ASKED RESIDENTS TO RATE THE PERCEPTIONS OF THE CITY AS A PLACE TO LIVE, AS A PLACE TO RAISE CHILDREN, AS A PLACE TO WORK, AND AS A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE COMMUNITY. YOU CAN SEE IN ALL CATEGORIES YOUR RATINGS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN OTHER CITIES.
THIS WAS THAT FIRST QUESTION ON THE SURVEY ABOUT MAJOR CATEGORY OF CITY SERVICES AND NINE OUT OF THE TEN AREAS YOUR RATINGS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
15 PERCENT OR MORE ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN ALL NINE OF THOSE AREAS, IN SOME CASES IT IS EVEN MUCH MORE THAN THAT.
THIS INCLUDES PUBLIC SAFETY, GARBAGE, RECYCLING AND YARD RAISED, SCHOOL, LIBRARIES, PARKS AND RECREATION, CUSTOMER SERVICE IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT REALLY STANDS OUT.
YOUR 36 PERCENT ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE. THAT IS ONE OF THE AREAS WHERE YOU RATED THE FARTHEST ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
COMMUNICATION IS ANOTHER AREA THAT REALLY STANDS OUT.
AND FOR INFRASTRUCTURE AND COATS, YOUR RATINGS AREN'T QUITE AS HIGH IN THOSE AREAS AS SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS THAT WE SURVEYED. BUT YOU CAN SEE BOTH CATEGORIES ARE STILL FAR ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
TRAFFIC FLOW IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS NOT SIGNIFICANTLY ABOVE OTHER CITIES, BUT EVEN THAT IS REALLY PRETTY MUCH ON PAR WITH THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. HERE ARE COMPARISONS FOR CITY LEADERSHIP. YOU CAN SEE YOUR RATINGS ARE MORE THAN 20 PERCENT ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE WHEN IT COMES TO THE QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP FROM ELECTED OFFICIALS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE CITY MANAGER.
NATIONALLY THE SATISFACTION RATINGS FOR BOTH OF THOSE IS UNDER 40 PERCENT. AND THEN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, YOU RATE ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN ALL 11 AREAS IN FACT YOU ARE MORE THAN 10 PERCENT ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN ALL AREAS AND YOU CAN SEE THIS INCLUDES A WIDE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PUBLIC SAFETY SERVICES. THE ONE THAT STANDS OUT THE MOST TO ME HERE IS THE SECOND ONE DOWN, 92 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS WERE SATISFIED WITH THE OVERALL QUALITY OF POLICE PROTECTION AT THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS ONLY 55 PERCENT.
AND THEN HERE YOU CAN SEE THAT RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE IN AUBURN.
NEARLY ALL RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD DURING THE DAY AS WELL AS AT NIGHT. OVERALL 92 PERCENT OF RESIDENTS FEEL SAFE IN AUBURN. THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IS BELOW 7.
AND RESIDENTS ALSO FEEL SAFE IN THE TOWN, AND IN THE PARKS.
PARKS AND RECREATION, YOU RATED ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN ALL 11 AREAS, AND NINE OF THOSE AREAS YOU ARE MORE THAN 10 PERCENT ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
SOME OF THE CATEGORIES THAT REALLY STAND OUT HERE ARE SPECIAL EVENTS AND ATHLETIC PROGRAMS. AND THEN FOR MAINTENANCE, YOU ARE ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE IN ALL SEVEN AREAS BUT SIX AREAS YOU ARE MORE THAN 10 PERCENT ABOVE THE U.S. AVERAGE. AND THIS INCLUDES A VARIETY OF SERVICES AS WELL SUCH AS CITY FACILITIES, OVERALL CLEANLINESS OF STREETS, SIDEWALKS, AND STREET LIGHTING.
AND THEN FOR COMMUNICATION, IN ALL THREE AREAS YOU ARE
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15 PERCENT OR MORE ABOVE THE U.S. AVERAGE.THIS INCLUDES YOUR WEBSITES, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND THEN JUST THE GENERAL AVAILABILITY OF INFORMATION ABOUT CITY PROGRAMS. WE ALSO COMPARE YOUR RESULTS TO THE PREVIOUS SURVEY IN 2020.
COMPARED TO 2020, THE SATISFACTION RATINGS HAVE INCREASED IN 61 OF THE 121 AREAS, STAYED THE SAME IN 21, IT DECREASED IN 42. AND AGAIN, THESE NUMBERS ARE REALLY, REALLY GOOD BECAUSE MOST CITIES WE HAVE SURVEYED RECENTLY HAVE HAD A LOT MORE DECREASES THAN INCREASES.
WHEN WE COMPARE THEIR RESULTS TO BEFORE THE PANDEMIC STARTED.
THE AREAS WITH THE BIGGEST INCREASES IN SATISFACTION INCLUDE THE AVAILABILITY OF DOWNTOWN PARKING.
I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF INVESTMENT IN THAT AREA SINCE THE LAST SURVEY AND HAS DEFINITELY PAID OFF.
THERE IS A 14 PERCENT SATISFACTION INCREASE COMPARED TO JUST TWO YEARS AGO, WHICH IS A HUGE INCREASE.
2020 WHEN 20 PERCENT OF RESIDENTS WERE SATISFIED WITH DOWNTOWN PARKING, NOW IT IS UP TO 34 PERCENT.
THE OTHER BIGGEST SATISFACTION INCREASE INCLUDED DRINKING WATER, OVERALL APPEARANCE OF DOWNTOWN, PLAYGROUNDS, MAINTENANCE OF CITY FACILITIES, CEMETERIES, PATROL, NEW INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT, AND IN TRANSPARENCY OF CITY GOVERNMENT.
HERE ARE THE AREAS WITH THE BIGGEST DECREASES IN SATISFACTION COMPARED TO 2020. MOST OF THIS IS RELATED TO PROGRAMMING, WHICH IS A TREND THAT WE'VE SEEN ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. NOT A BIG SURPRISE.
A LOT OF PROGRAMS HAVE HAD LIMITED HOURS OR NOT AVAILABLE AT ALL BECAUSE OF COVID. SHE REALLY NO RED FLAGS OR ANYTHING TOO ALARMING HERE. AND HERE ARE COMPARISONS FOR THE MOST RECENT SURVEY, THE ONE WE JUST COMPLETED, WHICH IS THE BLUE BAR. THE GOLD BAR IS SATISFACTION RATINGS FOR 2020 AND IN THE GRAYBAR IS SATISFACTION RATINGS FOR WAY BACK IN 2006. THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR WE CONDUCTED YOUR SURVEY. THIS IS FOR MAJOR CATEGORIES OF CITY SERVICES AND YOU CAN SEE THE SATISFACTION RATINGS ARE PRETTY SIMILAR NOW TO WHAT THEY WERE LAST TIME.
REALLY NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES, WHICH AGAIN IS A GREAT SIGN CONSIDERING THAT MOST CITIES HAVE SEEN DECREASES OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. SO NOW WE WILL LOOK AT TOP PRIORITIES. ON THE FIRST QUESTION ON THE SURVEY, WE ASKED RESIDENTS HOW SATISFIED THEY ARE WITH MAJOR CATEGORIES OF CITY SERVICES. AS A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION WE ASKED WHICH OF THESE SERVICES SHOULD RECEIVE THE MOST EMPHASIS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. AND YOU CAN SEE THE TOP TWO PRIORITIES ARE TRAFFIC FLOW AND MAINTENANCE OF CITY INFRASTRUCTURE. AND AGAIN, THOSE HAVE BEEN YOUR TOP TWO PRIORITIES FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
THIS IS SOMETHING WE CALL THE IMPORTANT SATISFACTION RATING.
THIS ANALYSIS IS BASED ON TWO TYPES OF DATA.
FIRST WE ASKED RESIDENTS HOW SATISFIED THEY ARE WITH SERVICES IS A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION WE ASKED WHICH OF THESE SERVICES ARE MOST IMPORTANT FOR CITY LEADERS TO EMPHASIZE.
SO THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS THOSE AREAS THAT HAVE THAT COMBINATION OF LOWER SATISFACTION BUT AT THE SAME TIME ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT, SHOULD BE THE HIGHEST PRIORITIES.
THIS FIRST TABLE IS FOR MAJOR CATEGORIES OF CITY SERVICES AND THERE ARE TWO AREAS THAT REALLY STOOD OUT AS A HIGHEST PRIORITIES AND THAT IS TRAFFIC FLOW AND CITY INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT YOU SHOULD IGNORE THE AREAS IN GREEN, BUT MAKING IMPROVEMENTS TO THE AREAS IN RED COULD IMPACT THE LATEST -- GREATEST NUMBER OF RESIDENTS.
THIS IS THE IMPORTANT SATISFACTION RATING FOR MAINTENANCE. THERE ARE FOUR AREAS IN YELLOW.
YELLOW MEANS THOSE AREAS ARE HIGHER PRIORITY THAN THOSE IN GREEN, EITHER BECAUSE RESIDENTS FEEL LIKE THOSE AREAS ARE MORE IMPORTANT OR THEIR SATISFACTION. THE TOP PRIORITIES ARE JUST OVERALL MAINTENANCE OF STREETS, STREET LIGHTING, BIKING PATHS AND LANES, AND SIDEWALKS. FOR PUBLIC SAFETY, THE TOP PRIORITY IS EFFORTS TO PREVENT CRIME.
WE SAW THAT RESIDENTS CLEARLY FEEL SAFE IN AUBURN AND ALL AREAS OF PUBLIC SAFETY RECEIVED VERY HIGH SATISFACTION RATINGS.
SO THIS DOESN'T MEAN THAT THERE ARE CONCERNS WITH EFFORTS TO PREVENT CRIME, BUT THIS IS JUST AN AREA THE RESIDENTS WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE TO BE EMPHASIZE AND CONTINUE TO BE HIGH PRIORITY IN THE COMING YEARS. AND THEN FOR PARKS AND RECREATION, THERE ARE FOUR AREAS THAT STAND OUT WITH A COMBINATION OF HIGHER PRIORITIES BUT AT THE SAME TIME ONE THAT RESIDENTS ARE LITTLE LESS SATISFIED WITH AND THAT INCLUDES WALKING TRAILS, RECREATION CENTERS, FITNESS AREAS WITHIN RECREATION CENTERS, AND SENIOR PROGRAMS. FOR CODE ENFORCEMENT, THE HIGHEST PRIORITY IS CLEANING UP OVERGROWN WEEDY LOTS, DILAPIDATED STRUCTURES IS A HIGH PRIORITY AS WELL. RESIDENTS DIDN'T WRITE THAT
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QUITE AS IMPORTANT AS CLEANING UP OVERGROWN AND WEEDY LOTS.AND IN THE AREAS IN GREEN ARE MORE OF A MEDIUM LEVEL PRIORITY.
SO THAT IS EVERYTHING THAT I HAD JUST A QUICK RECAP.
HE SAW THAT RESIDENTS HAVE A VERY POSITIVE PERCEPTION OF THE CITY. A LOT OF EXAMPLES OF THAT THROUGHOUT THE REPORT. OVERALL, THE SATISFACTION RATINGS ARE SIMILAR TO YOUR PREVIOUS SURVEY, WHICH IS A GREAT SIGN BECAUSE THE RATINGS WERE EXCELLENT IN 2020.
MOST CITIES HAVE SEEN DECREASES IN SATISFACTION OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS. YOUR RATINGS ONCE AGAIN ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN MOST OF THE CITIES, IN PARTICULAR, OVERALL QUALITY OF CITY SERVICES AND CUSTOMER SERVICE STAND OUT, BUT THERE OBVIOUSLY WERE MANY, MANY AREAS WHERE YOUR RATINGS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN OTHER CITIES.
AND TOP OVERALL PRIORITIES ARE TRAFFIC FLOW AND MAINTENANCE OF CITY STRUCTURES. SO THAT IS EVERYTHING THAT I HAD. OBVIOUSLY THE RESULTS ARE EXTREMELY POSITIVE ONCE AGAIN. WE JUST -- WHICH IS NO SURPRISE BECAUSE THEY CONSISTENTLY HAVE BEEN AMONG THE HIGHEST IN THE NATION. EVERY TIME WE HAVE CONDUCTED THE SURVEY WE DON'T GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2016.
OVER 15 YEARS NOW. SO WITH THAT, DOES ANYONE HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME WITH US THIS AFTERNOON. SORRY YOU ARE NOT HERE WITH US IN PERSON BUT WE WILL CATCH YOU NEXT TIME.
IT HAS CTC BEEN ABLE TO MEASURE THE IMPACT OF THE COVID WORLD WE HAVE LIVED IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND HOW THAT HAS IMPACTED MUNICIPALITIES AND IT CERTAINLY HAS IMPACTED SURVEYS AND
CITIZENS RESPONSES. >> SPEAKER: YEAH.
JUST ACROSS THE BOARD OVERALL WE HAVE DEFINITELY SEEN A DECREASE IN SATISFACTION JUST GENERALLY COMPARED TO WHERE WE WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. SOME SURFACES WERE HIT PARTICULARLY HARD, LIKE ANYTHING RELATED TO INDOOR PROGRAMMING, THINGS IMPACTED BY COVID. BUT REALLY JUST GENERAL OVERALL SATISFACTION RATINGS ARE DEFINITELY GOING DOWN COMPARED TO PRE-COVID WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS WHICH I MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES, ONE OF THE REASONS WHY IT IS SO IMPRESSIVE THAT OVERALL YOUR SATISFACTION RATINGS ARE PRETTY SIMILAR TO WHERE THEY WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
>> SPEAKER: JASON, ALSO NOW THAT WE KNOW AUBURN GREW 40 PERCENT OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND WE BELIEVE WE ARE CONTINUING TO GROW AT A PRETTY GOOD CLIP, HOW DOES A COMMUNITY THAT IS EXPERIENCING THIS TYPE OF GROWTH AND MEASURING WITH THIS KIND OF RESPONSE FROM ITS CITIZENS, DO YOU SEE ANY
CORRELATION WITH THAT? >> SPEAKER: ONE OF YOUR LOWER RATED AREAS IS TRAFFIC FLOW. AND THAT IS VERY, VERY COMMON FOR FAST-GROWING CITIES. NO SURPRISE IN THAT AT ALL.
I DON'T THINK THAT WE HAVE TAKEN A QUESTIONS ABOUT PLANNING.
WE DID HAVE SOME QUESTIONS ABOUT PLANNING FOR GROWTH.
I THINK THOSE RATINGS WERE SIMILAR OR MAYBE A LITTLE LOWER THAN PREVIOUS YEARS, AND NOT AS HIGH AS SOME OF THE OTHER AREAS WE WERE SURVEYING. THAT IS ALSO TYPICAL FOR FAST-GROWING CITIES. SO SOME OF THE CATEGORIES LIKE THAT, THEY ARE LITTLE BIT LOWER. ANYTHING RELATED TO ROADS IS ALSO A TRICKY ONE FROM A FAST-GROWING CITY.
SO ALSO NOT A SURPRISE THAT THOSE WERE SOME OF YOUR LOWEST RATING AREAS AS WELL. BUT EVEN THOUGH I SAY THEY ARE SOME OF YOUR LOWEST RATED AREAS, THEY ARE STILL AT OR ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE FOR STREETS AND TRAFFIC FLOW.
>> SPEAKER: JASON IS ALSO BEEN KIND.
REMEMBER YOU WILL HAVE 373 RAW COMMENTS AT THE END OF THE SURVEY AND THAT WILL TELL YOU A LOT ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING. A LOT OF THOSE THAT ARE NOT AS POSITIVE OR CENTERED AROUND GROWTH AND TALL BUILDINGS, WHICH IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE SAW TWO YEARS AGO.
AND JASON, I KNOW THAT IS NOT STATISTICALLY AN ISSUE BUT I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR THAT WE PUBLISH THE COMMENTS AS THEY COME IN PERIOD. THEY ARE ALL IN THERE.
YOU WILL SEE THAT AS WELL. >> SPEAKER: ABSOLUTELY.
COMMENTS ALWAYS TEND TO SKEW MORE NEGATIVE.
THAT IS TYPICAL NO MATTER WHAT. BUT THERE WERE A LOT OF COMMENTS ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS. I THINK THERE ARE ABOUT 50 OR 60 PAGES. THERE ARE LOTS.
>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU. ANY OF THE QUESTIONS FROM THE
COUNCIL? >> SPEAKER: IF YOU WOULD PLEASE, COULD YOU SHOW THE CHART OF THE RESPONDENT AGAIN, THE MAP
THAT SHOWS. >> SPEAKER: RIGHT THE VERY
BEGINNING. >> SPEAKER: ONE OR TWO CHARTS
IN. >> SPEAKER: YEAH, THAT WAS ONE
OF THE FIRST ONES. >> SPEAKER: IT SEEMS LIKE THE AREA OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT GROWTH IN AUBURN IS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERREPRESENTED IN THE RESPONDENT.
BEING THAT NORTHERN PORTION OF THE CITY.
[00:25:02]
AND YET THE GENERALIZATIONS ABOUT OVERALL SATISFACTION HAD EVERYTHING MARKED AS BEING BLUE. I DON'T KNOW QUITE HOW YOU CORRELATE THAT. HOW YOU FIND JUST ONE RESPONDENT ABOVE 280 AND THEN YOU CHARACTERIZE THE ENTIRE REGION AS DARK BLUE. I JUST WANTED TO SEE THIS AGAIN.WE WILL TAKE A LOOK AT THE FINAL REPORT WHEN IT COMES IN.
I WANTED TO SEE THAT JUST FOR SECOND.
THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER: YEAH, SURE.
THESE DOTS, WE PUT THESE AT THE BLOCK LEVEL WHICH IS CLOSE BUT IT IS NOT THE ABSOLUTE EXACT ADDRESS.
THAT INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL SO IT MIGHT NOT BE APPROPRIATE.
BUT IT IS CLOSE. AND IF THERE ARE AREAS WE DIDN'T HAVE ANY RESPONDENTS, THEN WE JUST MERGE THEM WITH THE NEARBY
CENSUS BLOCK. >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKER: MS. WITTEN? >> SPEAKER: HI JASON.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. THE NATIONAL AVERAGE, ARE THOSE COMPARABLE TO AUBURN IN SIZE AND TYPE OF A CITY, OR IS IT JUST ANY CITY THAT YOU HAVE DONE A SURVEY FOR THROUGHOUT THE U.S.
IT COULD BE A MUCH LARGER COMMUNITY OR MUCH SMALLER
COMMUNITY? >> SPEAKER: THAT NATIONAL AVERAGE IS THE CITIES OF ALL DIFFERENT SIZES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. WE CAN DRILL DOWN DEEPER AND COMPARE YOUR RESULTS WITH MORE SIMILAR SIZED CITIES, OR ON A REGIONAL BASIS, BUT THAT NATIONAL AVERAGE IS JUST BASED ON CITIES OF ALL TYPES ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> SPEAKER: ATC IS ACTUALLY EXPANDED IN ALABAMA WE HAVE SPOKEN A NUMBER OF CONFERENCES THIS YEAR ABOUT OUR CITIZEN SURVEY. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF INTEREST AND SO WE ARE GETTING A LOT MORE CUSTOMERS IN ALABAMA WHICH IS GOOD TO BENCHMARK. MOUNTAIN BROOK FOLLOWED SUIT NOT LONG AFTER WE DID. AND I WILL THINK OF SOME OTHERS.
JASON MAY KNOW OFF THE TOP OF HIS HEAD.
IF THE COUNCIL IS INTERESTED IN THAT, ATC HAS MANY OPTIONS AND THINGS WE DON'T. I THINK THAT WE DON'T UTILIZE.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS IS WE ARE GOING TO BE ROLLED INTO THE BUDGET PERIOD VERY SOON NEXT MONTH AS A MATTER FACT.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY TOOLS WE USE AND I WILL BE USING TO PROPOSE A BUDGET TO YOU THAT IS ALIGNING WITH WHAT -- THESE ARE CITIZENS WE SOMETIMES DON'T HEAR FROM.
THAT IS ONE OF OUR GOALS IS THIS IS RANDOM ON PURPOSE TO ALSO GET FEEDBACK FROM PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GO AS WE ARE NOT NORMAL HEARING FROM AND IS WHAT WE SEE OUT IN THE FIELD WITH PEOPLE WE ARE HEARING FROM, ARE THESE OBJECTIVES ALIGNING? THIS ISN'T THE ONLY THING WE USE BUT ONE TOOL, BUT IF YOU WANT TO FURTHER DRILL DOWN INFORMATION FOR COMPARISON TO OTHER ALABAMA CITIES OR THOSE IN THE SOUTHEAST, WE CAN DO THAT AS WELL OR COLLEGE TOWNS OR WHICHEVER.
WE ARE HAPPY TO FURTHER THAT WITH JASON.
>> SPEAKER: FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE DISSATISFACTIONS OR THE DECREASE OR THE GAP BETWEEN THE NATIONAL AVERAGE AND THUS, IF YOU ARE INCLUDING MUCH LARGER COMMUNITIES, OF COURSE THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE A LOWER SATISFACTION THAN WE ARE JUST BECAUSE BASIC -- BASED ON THE NATURE OF THEIR SIZE.
BUT AT SOME POINT MAYBE FOR THE NEXT ONE IT MIGHT BE CURIOUS TO SEE HOW WE COMPARE TO SAME SIZE, MAY BE IN THE SOUTHEAST, AND MAYBE COLLEGE COMMUNITIES AS WELL.
>> SPEAKER: YEAH, WE SURELY CAN DO ALL OF THAT.
WE DID A SURVEY FOR THE CITY OF GAINESVILLE LAST YEAR.
THEY ASKED FOR A LOT OF THAT INFORMATION IN COMPARISON TO COLLEGE TOWNS, CITIES AND THE SOUTHEAST.
WE DO IT FOR OTHER CITIES AS WELL, BUT THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE RECENT EXAMPLES I CAN THINK OF.
AND WE HAVE CONDUCTED MORE CITIES RECENTLY IN CITIES IN ALABAMA. MOUNTAIN BROOK IS ONE OF THEM, ALSO BEST DAVEY HILLS, TRUSSVILLE, MAYOR PRICE.
WE ADJUSTED ONE FOR JEFFERSON COUNTY.
SO, YEAH WE HAVE STARTED TO CONDUCT MORE AND MORE SURVEYS
THROUGHOUT ALABAMA. >> SPEAKER: ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS IN THE COUNCIL? THANK YOU, JASON.
WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. >> SPEAKER: THAT'S GREAT.
THANKS EVERYONE. >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU.
>> SPEAKER: THANK YOU. >> SPEAKER: WE WILL MOVE AHEAD
[4. GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD.]
WITH THE GREENSPACE ADVISORY BOARD.MAYOR PRO TEM WITTEN? >> SPEAKER: WE HAVE ONE VACANCY EXPIRED TERM BEGINS IMMEDIATELY. IT ENDS AUGUST 7, 2023.
THE INCUMBENT MARLEY HALTER RESIGNED.
WE THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE AND I WOULD LIKE TO NOMINATE
WILLIAM BRANTLEY. >> SPEAKER: SECOND.
>> SPEAKER: WE HAVE A MOTION AND SECOND FOR WILLIAM BRANTLEY.
ANY OTHER NOMINATIONS? ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT MR. BRANTLEY, ANY COMMENTS? HEARING NONE ALL IN FAVOR? ANY OPPOSED? WE WILL CONFIRM MISTER BRANTLEY
[5. QUESTIONS ON THE AGENDA]
LATER ON IN THE AGENDA. QUESTIONS ON TONIGHT'S AGENDAFOR THE CITY MANAGER? >> SPEAKER: I HAVE A QUESTION
[00:30:04]
ON THE AGENDA DOES NOT ON THE AGENDA BUT WHO CONTROLS THEWEBSTER. >> SPEAKER: YES, IT IS.
>> SPEAKER: CITY ADDED A TURN LANE THEIR COMING INTO TOWN ON WIRE ROAD WORK COULD WE REACH OUT TO THE UNIVERSITY AND SEE MAYBE IF THEY WOULD ADD AN ARROW FOR US?
>> SPEAKER: I WOULD BE HAPPY TO REACH OUT TO THEM AGAIN ABOUT IT BUT IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING FROM THE CITY ENGINEER THAT PREVIOUSLY WE HAD REQUESTED AN ARROW THERE AND WE WILL BE HAPPY
TO COMMUNICATE THAT AGAIN. >> SPEAKER: THANK YOU, MA'AM.
>> SPEAKER: ABSOLUTELY. COUNCIL, THERE IS ONE, IT IS NOT A MAJOR ISSUE BUT ITEM 85 WHICH IS THE DE-NJ ENTERPRISE CONTRACT FOR NEW CONNECTOR RODE. IT'S AN INADVERTENT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT IN THERE. THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN THERE. IT IS AN ACTUAL CONTRACT WITH WHAT EVERYBODY ELSE IS SEEING THAT LANGUAGE HAS BEEN REMOVED.
I WILL EXPLAIN THAT WILL BE GET TO THE AGENDA.
IT IS NOT PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT.
>> SPEAKER: ALL RIGHT. ANYTHING ELSE FOR THE CITY MANAGER? IF NOT, MOTION TO ADJOURN?
>> SPEAKER: SO MOVED. >> SPEAKER: WE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.