Resident Satisfaction Survey 28th Annual Survey Assistance from Institute for Design

Research and Outreach (IDRO), College of Design, ISU Extension

City/ISU distribution• 1,350 utility bill customers• 986 email surveys to ISU students• 728 returned surveys (48.7% response rate)• 61% Ames utility users, 39% ISU

students

Resident Satisfaction SurveyOn-going service priorities (P. 6)

On-going service

Should the city spend….?

AverageLess(1) Same(2) More(3)

Transit system (CyRide) (n=704) 10% 65% 26% 2.2

Recreational opportunities (n=713) 17% 59% 24% 2.1

Law enforcement (n=716) 15% 61% 24% 2.1

Sanitation/food inspections (n=713) 6% 73% 21% 2.1

Human service agency funding (ASSET) (n=703) 16% 64% 20% 2.0

Land use planning (both current and long-term)

(n=706) 25% 56% 20% 1.9

Parks activities (n=714) 21% 60% 19% 2.0

Public Library (n=711) 19% 62% 18% 2.0

Fire protection (n=716) 6% 78% 16% 2.1

Ames Animal Shelter & animal control (n=984) 15% 69% 16% 2.0

Arts programs (Public Art & COTA) (n=716) 31% 55% 14% 1.8

Other (please specify) (n=30)        

Resident Satisfaction Survey On-going service priorities

– Spend “same” in 11 out of 11 categories Increase in “spend more” respondents

– Transit (26%)– Recreational opportunities (24%)– Law Enforcement (20%)– Sanitation/food inspections (21%)

Resident Satisfaction SurveyFigure 1. Trends in preferred property tax adjustments for next year

(P. 9)

26%

30%

46%

19%

26%

27%

27%

18%

44%

51%

44%

50%

57%

30%

22%

30%

27%

25%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

Decrease No change Increase

Resident Satisfaction Survey Preference for “No Change” in

property tax rate• 57% of respondents

– (+7% from 2009)– (+11% from 2008)

“Increase” support gained 6% “Decrease” support dropped by 12%

Resident Satisfaction SurveyCapital improvement priorities (P. 10)

Somewhat or Very

Unimportant

Somewhat or Very

Important Average*

Reconstructing existing streets (n=713) 13% 87% 3.4

Traffic flow improvements (n=706) 32% 68% 2.9

Storm water drainage improvements (n=712) 33% 67% 2.8

Bike path improvements (n=710) 45% 55% 2.6

Improvements to existing parks (n=712) 45% 55% 2.5

Library facility improvements (n=588) 47% 53% 2.5

Other (specify ______________) (n=103)

Resident Satisfaction Survey

Capital Improvement Priorities– Reconstructing existing streets– Traffic flow improvements– Storm water drainage improvements

Resident Satisfaction SurveySummary Table of Satisfaction with City Services(Removing “don’t know”) – P. 12

City ServicesVery/

Somewhat Dissatisfied

Very/Somewhat

Satisfied

Fire Department services (n=539) 1% 99%

Library services (n=597) 5% 95%

CyRide (n=575) 6% 94%

Sanitary sewer system (n=652) 4% 96%

Water Department services (n=676) 5% 95%

Parks & Recreation services (n=649) 5% 95%

Electric Department services (n=673) 6% 94%

Law enforcement services (n=635) 12% 88%

Public Nuisance Enforcement (n=576) 31% 69%

Resident Satisfaction SurveySummary Table of Satisfaction with City Services – P. 11

*1=very dissatisfied; 2=somewhat dissatisfied; 3=somewhat satisfied; 4=very satisfied

Resident Satisfaction SurveyNew Initiatives (P. 27)

FeatureNot Very Important

Not Important Important

Very Important

Don’t Know Average*

Percent

Campustown redevelopment

13 21 35 31 5 2.8

Campustown parking ramp

19 24 31 27 6 2.7

Library expansion

17 27 38 18 7 2.6

Industrial park 21 28 35 16 17 2.5

Downtown parking ramp

27 36 26 11 6 2.2

*Don’t know responses not included in calculating average.

Resident Satisfaction SurveyEntrances to Ames (P. 28)

FeatureNot Very Attractive

Not Attractive Attractive

Very Attractive

Don’t Know Average*

Percent

University Blvd and US 30 2 17 35 40 6 3.2

Bloomington Ave. and US 69/Grand Ave 13 30 22 5 30 2.3

South Dakota and US 30 19 36 24 6 14 2.2

Thirteenth St and I-35 29 34 24 5 8 2.1

Lincoln Way and Wilder Ave. 12 17 9 2 60 2.0

S. Duff Ave. and US 30 35 34 17 6 8 1.9

S. Duff and Ken Maril Road 22 19 9 2 47 1.8

Lincoln Way and Dayton Ave. 34 31 13 4 18 1.8

*Don’t know responses not included in calculating average.

Resident Satisfaction Survey

0

20

40

60

80

100

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Internet High Speed Connection

Trends in Internet service at home (P. 34)

Resident Satisfaction SurveyTrends in overall satisfaction with City of Ames service quality(P. 34)

65% 64%69%

32% 34%28%

64%60% 62%

54% 56% 49%64%

60%64% 60%

64%

35%37% 36%43%

41%

50%

34% 38% 34% 38%35%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Good Very good