Survey questions to include when collecting feedback from your residents for your comprehensive or strategic plan.

“Question everything!” – that seems to be a slogan for many nowadays and it makes sense. Being able to ask the right questions will allow you to plan the right way, toward actual growth.

You can provide ‘yes or no’ questions. Ask, “Are you satisfied?”. Include questions that have residents rate on a scale from 1-10 with a text box to explain their answers. In order to segment content later, make sure to collect information about the residents being surveyed. Start off with questions about their demographics to determine which segments are saying what.

Here is a list of questions:

Survey questions for the municipality as a whole:

• How can we improve the efficiency of your city’s services?
• What are your thoughts on the property taxes?
• Which specific areas of (department oversight) would you like to see improvement?
• Are the fees for our services fair?
• What do you think is the biggest challenge that the municipality faces?

Survey questions involving the finance department

• On a scale from 1 to 10, how would you rate the services centered around the finance department? (i.e. bill payments)
• What are some additional services that you’d like the option of paying for online?
• Could the city be spending money in other ways?

Survey questions for the planning and public works departments

• How would you improve the services performed by the Planning Department? (i.e these responsibilities)
• How would you like to see the city be developed?
• Which roads could use better upkeep?
• How can we improve our winter maintenance? (i.e. snow plowing)
• Which infrastructure project would you consider the most important? (list of options)
• Can we do better with green initiatives? If so, what do you suggest?

Survey questions that Police & Fire can use

• What can be improved when it comes to the efficiency and effectiveness of services provided by the emergency service teams?
• Where would you invest in the police or fire departments?

Survey questions to use in the Communications department

• Where do you get your local government information and news?
• How would you improve the ways that information is being given to you?
• Do you follow us on social media?
• Are you reading our newsletters and emails? If not, what would grab your attention?

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Tools to help your residents take surveys

SurveyMonkey

Typeform: Their emphasis is on user-friendliness and having a better experience than the bots, whether it’s a feedback form, satisfaction survey, or information collection form.

Survey Anyplace: Individualization is a focus with this tool; creating a better experience for the resident on the other end.

Google Forms: This tool highlights being able to create a form as easily as you’d create a document, and being a tool associated with google, you can count on it.

Survey Planet: They emphasize that their solution allows the creator to add more creativity to the forms without being overcharged for what you don’t need.

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Additional feedback and conversation can be found in your state’s community!