Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Business Survey topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Task force backs city business survey approach to map local needs and barriers
Summary
The task force discussed a proposed multi-method business survey (SurveyMonkey, mail and in-person visits) to gather quantifiable data on industry mix, workforce, sales bands and impediments; staff will revise questions and seek city commission approval to proceed.
Task force members agreed to prioritize a concise, quantifiable business survey designed to capture the current makeup and needs of New Smyrna Beach businesses. Director Bergeron said the packet included a draft questionnaire and recommended a three- or four-pronged collection approach—SurveyMonkey for scalable reporting, direct mail for businesses without email addresses and targeted in-person visits to improve participation. "I wanted to make it so that it was very quick, 10 questions," Bergeron said, adding that the Chamber and county economic-development staff provided input on question framing and categories to allow apples-to-apples comparison with county data.
Members recommended checkbox ranges for sensitive items (sales bands rather than exact gross-sales figures), a 1–5 scale for ease-of-doing-business and closed choices with optional comment boxes. One member said the 2019 survey returned only 32 responses and urged a mix of methods to increase response rates; another proposed including questions about long-term plans, growth intentions and impediments to expansion.
Staff asked the group to review the draft questions and authorized staff to place the survey on the next city commission agenda for approval and oversight. The task force did not vote formally at this meeting; staff recorded that they will resend the draft questions and set a deadline for member feedback before forwarding the instrument to the commission.
