Lake County forest district reports high marks in citizen survey
Detailed results will be discussed publicly at a later date, but the Lake County Forest Preserve District reports favorable ratings in the first countywide attitude and interest survey in eight years.
The district received high trust and confidence ratings and had the highest overall general rating from respondents compared to several other units of government that appear on tax bills, officials said.
In a general report during forest board committee meetings Monday, Executive Director Ty Kovach mentioned the countywide attitudes and interest survey had been completed, but did not discuss it in depth.
He said forest commissioners in early fall will get a detailed presentation from Jeff Andreasen, president of aQuity Research & Insights.
"It'll grab your attention," Kovach said of what he described as a "score card" of consumer sentiment.
Andreasen has completed several surveys for the district dating to 1993. The last one was in 2008, but it was completed before the Great Recession. Data for the most recent $36,000 survey was collected in late April and early May.
"It had become a long time since we had done one," board President Ann Maine said. Results are used for planning and to determine how to allocate resources, she said.
Findings represent the opinions of 607 people who took the 12- to 15-minute survey online or by phone. Respondents were selected from throughout the county to most closely reflect the most recent census data.
While there were a "few surprises," respondents were "generally very appreciative" and had a positive image of the district and its value for the amount of tax dollars paid to support it, Andreasen said.
Seventy-six percent of respondents gave the district a positive "esteem" rating, the highest of all government entities tested, according to Katherine Hamilton-Smith, director of public affairs and development. In an open-ended question, 40 percent of respondents reported being completely satisfied, she added.
Residents, who were not told the survey was being done by or for the forest preserve district, were also asked to rate several general issues including traffic, property taxes and quality of public schools.
Operating and maintaining existing preserves were important to most respondents, although a question regarding opening less-developed "rustic" facilities also received a positive response, Hamilton-Smith said.