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Letter to the Editor: Thoughts regarding Citizen Satisfaction Survey

Once again, we have been served a survey that appears to be designed more for returning the answer city administration wants rather than gauging our true feelings.
City Hall

To the editor:

Once again, we have been served a survey that appears to be designed more for returning the answer city administration wants rather than gauging our true feelings.

Not only do we have to choose “Very Satisfied, Somewhat Satisfied, Not Very Satisfied or Not at All Satisfied” instead of choosing on a 1 to 10 numerical scale, but we are presented with several questions of what we value more, where the choices are akin to children asking a parent what child they like more.

Do I value “Drinking water quality” more than "Fire?" Maybe, but if my house is on fire I’d be more inclined to favour quantity of water over quality.

As for satisfaction with services, if I am dissatisfied with bike lanes because I don’t want them, should I say I am dissatisfied, which implies a need for more bike lanes, or should I say I am very satisfied with them and hope that reduces the bike lane budget? My true feeling is somewhere in the middle but I have no way of expressing that there is a need for some additional bike lanes and that some of the current network is dangerous.

A more useful survey would ask citizens to rank services in order of their importance on a 1 to 5 scale, indicate a level of satisfaction with that service and a level of need for that service, both on a 1 to 10 scale. It could even allow for up to 3 items to be scored equal in importance for each level of importance.

Thus, drinking water quality might score a 1-10-10, Fire a 1-9-10, Police a 1-8-10, road maintenance a 2-2-6, Bylaw 2-1-10, etcetera. An option of explaining a ranking would be useful.

This may seem more complicated, but in practice is relatively easy to explain and would more accurately reflect what citizens really think about our fair city, services and value for tax dollar.

Either you want a true reflection or you are merely saying. “Mirror, mirror, on the wall….” looking for the answer that makes you feel good.

Doug Meyers





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