Survey aims to gauge opinions on city

Are Kalispell residents very satisfied, satisfied, dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the job their city government is doing?

A three-page survey hitting the mailboxes of 1,200 randomly selected residents next week attempts to gauge just that.

“We’ll send out postcards on Monday and follow up with the actual survey as a means to facilitate awareness and get a higher return rate,” City Manager Doug Russell said of the roughly $2,100 initiative.

Surveys ask for people’s views on a range of municipal issues, including:

v How satisfied are people with Kalispell as a place to live and raise children? Its appearance and quality of life?

v How safe do people feel downtown? In parks? On trails? During the day? At night?

v How satisfied are people with police visibility? Police efforts to prevent crime and enforce traffic laws? Response times? The quality of fire protection and EMS services?

Other survey questions explore people’s satisfaction with street maintenance, park facilities, water, sewer and trash collection services and Kalispell’s communication and customer service.

“We can’t ask every question we’d want to, but we’re trying to get a broad spectrum,” Russell said.

Russell started working as Kalispell city manager in June 2012. Previously he surveyed residents every couple of years in other cities where he worked. He said he’s eager to get a survey done in Kalispell.

“There are multiple reasons,” he said. “One is to benchmark where we’re at in terms of satisfaction levels and trend that over time. Which follows another, to engage the community in gathering that opinion. We’re all part of the same community and all seeking to have the best services and community we can.”

Survey participants were randomly selected from Kalispell’s utility records; responses will remain anonymous. The surveys are being sent out with a self-addressed stamped envelope so people can return them at no cost before Tuesday, May 21.

Results will be shared with the Kalispell City Council at a future meeting.

Ideally, all 1,200 surveys will be returned, Russell said. “Generally, I think they anticipate a 30 to 35 percent response rate through a mail survey. We’d love to see over 50 percent. The more the better.”

Reporter Tom Lotshaw may be reached at 758-4483 or by email at tlotshaw@dailyinterlake.com.