Help make Ottawa County a better place by taking 15 minutes to answer the call and provide valuable feedback.
Starting this week, Ottawa County adults will have the opportunity to provide input on their satisfaction with local government services, priorities, tax burden, communication preferences, and more by responding to the Ottawa County Citizen Survey. Residents who receive a call are strongly encouraged to participate. Calls will come from a 616 phone number and display “Survey Research” on the caller ID.
A total of 400 residents will be randomly selected and surveyed via phone by Lansing-based EPIC ▪ MRA. The telephone calls will be made through July. Participation is voluntary and anonymous. The survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. If selected and called, resident participation is very important to the County. The information from the survey will help County leaders improve services, prioritize programs, allocate funds, and assess communication. Results are expected to be available early in the fall and will be reported at an Ottawa County Board of Commissioners meeting. Reports from surveys completed in 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2021 are available at miOttawa.org.
“Information from this survey will help us gauge whether our residents are satisfied with the work we are doing for them. Are we meeting their needs? Are our priorities aligned with theirs? And are we doing this within financially acceptable means?” said Shannon Felgner, Ottawa County Communications Director.
“Our hard data shows we are doing things well. We have top credit ratings. We have one of the lowest tax rates among Michigan’s 83 counties. Our crime rates are low. We rank well in health behaviors and outcomes. Our population is growing. But we also want to hear directly from residents. That’s why we’re asking those who receive a call to contribute 15 minutes of their time. The answers help make Ottawa County a better place for all of us,” Felgner added.
Sample questions:
- Overall, do you think Ottawa County is headed in the right direction, or do you think things are pretty seriously off on the wrong track?
- What is the single most important issue facing your community that the county government must address?
- How would you rate the job that Ottawa County does in managing county finances?
- How would you rate the quality of the Ottawa County website?
For statistical purposes, the surveyors will also ask demographic questions such as year of birth, the number of children in the home, educational attainment, race/ethnicity, and household income. The questionnaire will not ask for sensitive details such as Social Security numbers, bank account information, passwords, or payment data.
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