Elgin community survey to be mailed out next week

The long-awaited community survey in Elgin - the first in 10 years - will be mailed out next week, city officials said.

The survey initiative was approved by the city council in July 2015 and was delayed by various reasons, including staff turnover. Getting it done this summer ensures results can be incorporated into the 2018 budget planning, and into the city's strategic plan process, senior management analyst Laura Valdez-Wilson said. Elgin's five-year strategic plan ends this year.

About 3,500 surveys will be mailed, with the goal of receiving 500 completed ones. The recipients were selected to get a statistically significant sample representative of Elgin's diversity, including geographically and ethnically.

The responses will be anonymous but can be tracked geographically, to evaluate responses about city services such as snow plowing, code compliance and more.

The survey should take 10 to 15 minutes to complete and will include a cover letter in English and Spanish. Residents can mail back the survey, complete it online or answer via phone. The survey is available in 20 languages.

It will include questions such as, "What would be your most preferred method for reporting problems to the city?" with multiple choice answers such as mobile app, website, text message and phone call.

It also will ask residents how they rate Elgin as a place to call home, live, raise children, work, retire and visit, whether it's a good place for single adults, and whether it is moving in the right direction.

The city has a contract with ETC Institute Inc., of Kansas, to do the survey at a cost of $25,750 to be split equally between the city and the Elgin Community Network. Despite the delay, the project is not expected to exceed that cost, Valdez-Wilson said.

ETC Institute also will provide an online survey available to the general public.

The last time the city conducted a residents' survey was in 2007.

The city will share results with the public and will hold public meetings for input about its new strategic plan.