Johnson County survey: residents rate county highly but flag transit as a priority gap

Chris Tatham, CEO of ETC Institute, told the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners on April 9 that a county survey of roughly 1,256 residents produced a statistically reliable picture of resident priorities and satisfaction.

“We did survey 1,256 persons complete the survey,” Tatham said, and said the work is accurate “within a margin of error of about plus or minus 3% at the 95% confidence level.” He summarized four headline findings: the county ranks near the top nationally as a place to live and raise children; residents place high priority on health and human services, emergency services and parks/open space; overall ratings improved from a composite index of 101 to 103 year‑over‑year; and public transit is the one area that trails national benchmarks.

Chairman Mike Kelly and several commissioners pressed Tatham on transit. Tatham said transit interest has fluctuated over the years and that residents often want the option of service even if they do not use it daily. Kelly noted upcoming World Cup pilot programs as an opportunity to expose more residents to transit and gather usage data.

Commissioner Brewer and others asked about timing and demographic weighting; Tatham said the survey was conducted in February and early March and that the sample was balanced against Census demographics. Commissioners said the results will inform budget and strategic planning decisions, including investments that may be phased through the county's transit strategic plan.

The presentation gave county leaders empirical support for continuing investments in aging and human services and public safety while identifying transit as a target for improvement and testing. The board did not take formal action on the survey itself; staff said the full report and detailed data would be distributed to commissioners for follow‑up.