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Lake Elmo authorizes PCO national community survey and engagement platform
Summary
Council approved staff to accept a PCO (National Community Survey) quote and the Engage community‑engagement platform. The city will run a scientifically valid random sample (approx. 3,000 households) and may combine it with open participation engagement to inform park planning and other priorities.
Lake Elmo City Council authorized staff on May 5 to accept a PCO proposal for the National Community Survey and its Engage platform, which pairs a scientifically valid benchmarked survey with an online resident engagement paneL. The platform is intended to support long-term benchmarking and community input, including questions tied to the proposed sports complex.
What was proposed: Alec Vice of PCO described a standard NCS administration involving a random sample of roughly 3,000 households, a six‑week data-collection window, mailed packets and digital options, and an optional open participation survey. PCO highlighted benchmarks that allow cities to compare trends over time or against similar communities and to track quality-versus-importance gaps.
Response rates and quality controls: PCO said the national average response for the random sample is about 12 percent and that Minnesota communities typically achieve 15–20 percent returns. Mr. Vice described measures to deter ballot stuffing, including unique PINs for mail packets, IP‑address monitoring for online responses, and validation flags for duplicate-style answers. He said PCO publishes its methods and is accredited by the American Association for Public Opinion Research.
Cost and contract: PCO presented a three‑year package with the survey and platform for $24,000 total. Staff recommended accepting the quote and scope of services. Council approved the motion to accept the quote and scope; staff will proceed to work with PCO to finalize custom questions (including park/sports complex items) and administer the survey.
Why the city is using it: Councilmembers said they want statistically significant data to guide decisions on a potential sports complex at the 76‑acre site and other planning efforts. Council emphasized the need for clear methods, transparency on margins of error, and ongoing outreach to maximize participation.
