Lake Zurich leaders urge residents to complete, return surveys

Three thousand Lake Zurich households will receive a survey in the mail Tuesday that village leaders say will help them better make decisions about the town's future.

The survey measures public opinion in 10 key areas of community livability including the economy, utilities, safety and education. In addition, this year the survey will include questions on how residents receive information about the village, whether they would like changes to how businesses operate during the pandemic recovery, and if they plan to attend future events in a post-pandemic environment.

Mayor Tom Poynton urged the people who receive the survey to complete and return it.

"The results will be rich in valuable data and very relevant to the village board of trustees in future decision-making," Poynton said.

The village is again partnering with the National Research Center at Polco of Boulder, Colorado, to conduct the survey. It will be the fourth survey that has gone out since 2015.

Village Manager Ray Keller said conducting the survey is part of the village's investment in community engagement.

"It's a great way to check in on how well we're doing and to suggest areas that we can improve upon," Keller said. "By doing it every other year, we've be able to track progress over time, as well as identify evolving priorities and expectations."

Past surveys concluded that residents were highly satisfied. In 2015, 94% of surveyed Lake Zurich residents rated the village as an excellent or good place to live, and 96% reported an overall feeling of safety.

In 2017, 95% of those surveyed rated Lake Zurich as an excellent or good place to live, and 96% would recommend living in Lake Zurich to others.

In 2019, 93% of those surveyed rated Lake Zurich as an excellent or good place to live, and 95% said the village was an excellent or good place to raise children.

Data collection for the 2021 edition of the survey runs through Sept. 28.