Memorandum 14-168 PARC Needs Assessment

Memorandum 14-168

TO:                       Mayor Wythe and Homer City Council

THROUGH:         Walt Wrede, City Manager

FROM:                 Julie Engebretsen, Deputy City Planner

DATE:                   October 21, 2014

SUBJECT:           Park, Art, Recreation and Culture Needs Assessment

I’m pleased to report the project is on task and on budget. In just a few more weeks, some initial results will be released at the Community Meeting, scheduled for November 13th at Islands and Ocean. As of Thursday, October 16th, some 420 surveys had been completed. I’ll have an updated number on Monday.  I will be attending the Council meeting to answer any questions.

At the last Council meeting, questions were raised about the needs assessment.

1. Why doesn’t the general community survey ask more questions about funding?

From the consultants about the survey and funding: “To the City Council’s concerns: correct, it does not go into detail about funding mechanisms. We wanted to get people thinking about that, but getting too specific too early in the process might be putting the cart before the horse. We’re still in the information gathering phase of learning what people are really doing and where some of the common priorities are. Once more of that picture emerges, it will be easier to talk about how to sustainably fund what people are willing to prioritize and maintain. We started by gently asking if people would be willing to explore different options, next we get the actual exploration. We can offer a few suggestions and explain how they work, but we don’t want people to be too limited in their thinking too soon – that is asking for conflict, and it might cut off creative new ideas that might be more successful and appropriate.”  

Later in the project, the community meeting and the telephone survey will explore funding.

The final document will include a section about funding.  It will explain various options to educate citizens about the choices the community has: what is a service area, what is and how much is a mill rate, dedicated sales tax, etc. This funding section will provide basic education to people interested in pursuing any or all of these choices. Council wants to talk about the nuts and bolts of funding: the document will help interested citizens speak the language and know the process.

2. Cell phone numbers and the statistically valid survey: The telephone survey, to be completed in 2015, will include some cell phone numbers. The firm Ivan Moore will be conducting the survey, and they have a list of cell phone numbers that they have used for surveys in our area. This is a well-known Alaska firm; and if you have participated in a politic survey by phone, its likely this firm was conducting it. The telephone survey will also be asking more pointed questions about funding.

3. Why can the survey be completed more than once form the same computer?

This allows each member of a family to complete the survey, or at places like the library with public computers, many people can take the survey from the same computer.