Results from the National Community Survey of Idaho Falls conducted last year were released earlier this week to the public.
Findings stated that Idaho Falls residents appreciate the area’s economy, feel safe, and enjoy the services provided by the city overall, according to a press release from the city.
More than 500 cities nationwide had the same survey conducted by the National Research Center at Polco, gathering community members’ input on issues in order for the city to make logical and informed decisions.
The survey was conducted in two phases between Jan. 23 and Feb. 28 with the first phase mailing postcards to randomly selected households and the second phase opening the survey to all residents. According to the statement, the results were statistically weighted and have a +/- margin of error of 5%.
Results from the survey, according to the press release, include:
– 76% rate the overall quality of services provided by the City of Idaho Falls as excellent or good.
– 74% rate the overall customer service by Idaho Falls employees as excellent or good.
– 93% say they feel very safe or somewhat safe in their neighborhoods during the day.
– 91% say they feel very safe or somewhat safe in the downtown/commercial areas during the day.
– 92% rate fire services as excellent or good.
– 89% rate ambulance/emergency medical services as excellent or good.
– 70% rank police services as excellent or good.
– 86% rate the quality of the power utility as excellent or good.
– 73% rate the quality of affordable high-speed internet access as excellent or good, scoring higher than the national benchmarks.
– 73% rate the overall quality of business and service establishments as excellent or good.
– 63% rate the vibrancy of the downtown/commercial areas as excellent or good.
– 63% and 62% rate Idaho Falls as an excellent or good place to work or visit, respectively.
“Citizen opinion matters a great deal. We appreciate all the residents who took the survey,” said Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper in the release. “Citizen engagement is the gold standard for policymakers when it comes to public decisions, policies and investments. Our goal is a vibrant Idaho Falls, a community that is a great place to live, raise a family, grow a business and build a future. Citizen input and feedback can help us to get it right.”
While the results reflect relatively good feelings toward the city’s efforts, the survey did report that some feel room for improvement is warranted, such as in street maintenance, economic development, airport facilities and public transportation options according to the statement.
“We look forward to further analyzing the findings and using them to drive thoughtful, data-informed improvements throughout our city,” Casper said. “Several of the improvement areas identified by residents closely align with priorities already on the radar of city leaders. For example, upgraded airport parking is currently in development. Residents also voiced strong support for expanding affordable mobility and public transit options. The GIFT Board shares this vision and is actively exploring ways to broaden transit service.”
The entire survey report can be found at https://tinyurl.com/2423juwm.
