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Council signs off on National Community Survey approach, flags aquatic center and local‑option tax wording
Summary
Staff proposed running the National Research Center survey with a 3,000-person random sample and 2–4 custom questions; council asked to keep random-sample results separate, discussed adding questions on strategic/financial planning familiarity, aquatic center treatment, and whether to include a local-option sales-tax item.
Marion staff recommended the city run its next National Community Survey through the National Research Center using a 3,000-person mailed random sample followed by an open online phase. Amber recommended keeping the first 12 core questions consistent year over year and carrying forward two custom questions used previously: how residents prefer to receive information and whether they would support property-tax or fee increases for services (with the ambulance item removed at the fire chief’s request).
Amber said the survey platform allows adding two to four custom questions and recommended two prior custom questions be retained while offering additional options for questions about familiarity with city financial/strategic planning and tradeoffs between fees, services and sales-tax proposals. On the aquatic center, Amber recommended a separate online tool for a multi-question deep dive rather than squeezing it into the National Community Survey’s short custom‑question slots; she noted question 14 already includes an item asking about support/opposition to a tax or fee increase that has previously listed the outdoor pool/aquatic center.
Council members supported keeping the random-sample results distinct from the open online responses (Amber: the two datasets are kept separate and generally trend together) and suggested a question on the local-option sales tax as potentially more actionable than a state-level sales tax question. Council also emphasized the value of trend analysis across years and the survey’s role in guiding community education efforts.
Amber said she will follow up with the consultant and staff to finalize the custom questions and noted the survey window would begin later this month and run through November. No formal ordinance or vote occurred; council gave staff direction to proceed with final question selection.
