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Albemarle County launches community survey to gauge effectiveness of local government

Chris Graham
albemarle county
(© Jill Lang – stock.adobe.com)

Albemarle County has launched a new community survey as county leaders look to hear from residents on their perceptions of the effectiveness of local government programs, services and infrastructure.

The survey is administered in partnership with the Center for Survey Research of the Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service at the University of Virginia.

“We ask for your help in enhancing our understanding of how well Albemarle County local government is serving our community,” County Executive Jeff Richardson said. “Survey responses help inform strategic planning, resource allocation, and program offerings, but most importantly, the survey allows us to formally check-in with our customers – our community – to see how we are doing to deliver services.”

Albemarle County last conducted a community survey in 2019. At that time, the community shared that while satisfaction with fire rescue and police services were high, services around land use, planning, zoning, and solid waste/recycling had the greatest opportunity for improvement.

Since that time, the county initiated a comprehensive plan update and a zoning ordinance modernization project, and introduced electronic submission for many land use applications. In partnership with the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority, Albemarle County opened new convenience centers in Ivy (2020) and Keene (2023) to provide recycling and tag-a-bag trash service to western and southern Albemarle, with plans underway for a third convenience center in northern Albemarle.

Households were selected for participation through a sampling method, which allows the survey researchers to provide the county with statistically significant results.

Selected households will receive a letter introducing the survey this week. The survey is available in English and Spanish.

Later this fall, an open survey will be shared with the entire community.

All results will be available in 2024.

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham, the king of "fringe media," a zero-time Virginia Sportswriter of the Year, and a member of zero Halls of Fame, is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].