Share your opinions in the 2019 Staunton Citizen Survey

The City of Staunton will conduct its first citizen survey in more than a decade starting Monday, April 15.

The 2019 citizen survey will be available online to Staunton residents and business and property owners April 15 through June 15 for them to share their perceptions of the effectiveness and efficiency of City services and to evaluate their quality of life and sense of wellbeing in Staunton.

The survey will be open to the public on Monday at the following link: www.staunton.va.us/citizensurvey.  Anyone who receives a City utility bill should expect to receive a two-sided card in their bill during April and May with survey information and instructions.

Hard copies of the survey will be available in the city manager’s office on the third floor of City Hall, 116 West Beverley St., and at the reference desk of the Staunton Public Library, 1 Churchville Ave., for those who do not have access to a computer or would prefer to fill out the survey on paper. Completed paper surveys must be returned to the city manager’s office or library reference desk no later than 4:30 p.m., Friday, June 14 to be included in the survey results.

While seeking to capture citizens’ overall opinions of City services, Staunton’s most recent citizen surveys in 2002 and 2005 had specific focuses on youth and senior programs, respectively. The 2019 survey is broader in scope, requesting citizens’ evaluation of a variety of topics, including quality of life, housing, transportation, safety, taxes, governance, community engagement, education and services.

The feedback collected from previous surveys brought about a number of new initiatives and activities, including the additions of a skate park and dog park at Gypsy Hill Park, an improved public transit system, and the option to make online, credit card payments for real estate taxes and utility bills.

City staff consulted with Mary Baldwin University Political Science Professor Laura van Assendelft, who has a background in scientific survey research, to develop the questionnaire. Van Assendelft worked with staff to ensure questions were methodically composed to generate useful information for the City.

The survey results will be tabulated in a final report and analysis prepared for City staff and City Council to review and utilize in the enhancement of City operations and services.