Survey shows improved quality-of-life ratings; council prioritizes affordable housing and pay in budget exercise

City staff presented results from the 2025 community survey and then conducted an in-person council prioritization exercise to guide FY27 budget choices.

Survey staff said the statistically valid survey (848 respondents; ±3.3% margin of error at 95% confidence) was conducted between late August and late September and used a mailed paper packet with an online response option. Staff said quality-of-life satisfaction rose about 20% from the 2023 collection, with roughly 70% of respondents rating Wilmington’s quality of life as good or excellent. Public-safety satisfaction was strongest for fire response and fire-service quality; the lowest satisfaction item in public safety related to frequency of police neighborhood patrols.

After the presentation councilors completed a hands-on budgeting exercise: each member had $100 in play money, staff extracted $20 per member to reflect ongoing operations and inflation, and members deployed the remaining $80 among 15 enhancement categories. Staff reported the compiled allocations: Affordable Housing received the largest single allocation ($82), Employer of Choice / living wage received $70, and Paving and Road Maintenance received $65. Neighborhood Services and Public Safety received sizable allocations as well. On enterprise-fee review tokens, seven of eight council members supported reviewing stormwater drainage fees and seven of eight supported reviewing trash-collection user-fees.

Staff said the survey findings and the prioritization exercise will inform FY27 budget development; detailed CIP cost estimates and living-wage cost modeling are due in January and a February planning conference is planned for deeper ranking of capital projects and policy options.