09-25-07 Worksession-2
......
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Special Worksession
September 25, 2007
I CAll TO ORDER
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Goettel at 10:07 p.m.
I ROll CAll
Staff Present:
Debbie Goettel, Mayor; Sue Sandahl; Bill Kilian; Fred Wroge; and Susan
Rosenberg.
Steven Devich, City Manager; Dan Scott, Public Safety Director; Bruce
Palmborg, Community Development Director; Mike Eastling, Public Works
Director; Brad Sveum, Fire Services Director; Bill Fillmore, Municipal Liquor
Operations Director; Jim Topitzhofer, Recreation Services Director; Chris
Regis, Finance Manager; and Cheryl Krumholz, Recording Secretary.
Members Present:
Item#1
DISCUSSION REGARDING PROPOSED COMMUNITY SURVEY (COUNCIL MEMO
NO. 168)
Dr. Brad Senden, The Center For Community Opinion via telephone, explained the proposed
questions that will be used in parts of the draft survey prepared for the City. He also explained the
A/B split sample questions for the recreation facilities section in order to collect information on more
items than might otherwise be able to be included in the survey. The larger margin of error
associated with this split was preferable to being able to only ask those interviewed to react to three
of six items in this section.
Mayor Goettel asked about including high school students in the survey.
Dr. Senden said he envisioned a phone survey of individuals 18 and older. It would be more
difficult to contact the younger individuals from the school. The file would need to be enhanced with
probable extraction of some results by paper or on-line questionnaire, which would increase the
survey cost. Also, the reaction to the survey would vary by age.
Council Member Wroge expressed his concern regarding splitting A and B.
Dr. Senden stated that rather than giving up questions, it was decided to split them. The
demography of the split will be almost identical.
Council Member Wroge asked about the maximum number of questions that could be
included.
Special Worksession Minutes
-2-
September 25, 2007
Dr. Senden explained that based upon the proposal to the City the survey is over by 20
questions.
Council Member Wrage asked how it's decided who's selected to participate. He said if
students are asked, they'll want everything. Parents would have a more economic approach.
Dr. Senden explained the random sample of 18 years and older from the voter registration
data. A random sample of non-registered voters is taken from utility hook-up records.
Council Member Sandahl stated there is not a question regarding a community center.
Recreation Services Director Topitzhofer explained a new center was originally included but
was removed because with some of the timetable of major projects, this was too far into the future.
Council Member Kilian asked how much time was needed per interview.
Dr. Senden said the average range is 12-14 minutes.
Council Member Kilian asked about the placement of questions driving different responses.
Dr. Senden stated he did not envision varying the overall structure. Service probes are not
position-biased based upon the order asked.
There was discussion regarding Question 16 related toundergrounding utilities since a cost
was not included.
The City Council consensus was to remove Question 16.
There was discussion regarding defining business districts (Question 32) and combining
questions related to shopping in Richfield (Questions 35-41).
Council Member Kilian suggested removing Question 34 regarding the roundabout because it
is too recent.
The City Council consensus was to remove Question 34.
Mayor Goettel suggested including "recently" inside of "ever" in the shopping questions.
Council Member Wroge asked about incorporating some questions of the previous survey for
comparison of changes, i.e. property maintenance.
Council Member Rosenberg suggested questions regarding human services use and
awareness.
The City Council agreed to include human services.
Council Member Wroge suggested Question 52 remove "more than" and change to "exactly"
$450,000.
The City Council agreed.
I ADJOURNMENT
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 10:39 p.m.
Special Worksession Minutes
Date Approved: October 9, 2007
C~h~
Recording Secretary
-3-
September 25, 2007