By 1808Delaware
Westerville continues engender satisfaction from its residents, as revealed in the 2023 online resident survey. With unwavering high ratings for City programs and services, the city has earned praise for its overall safety, service quality, and family-friendly nature.
This annual survey, conducted by the Columbus-based Strategic Research Group (SRG) earlier this Spring, offers valuable insights into the community’s perceptions, priorities, and preferences.
A City of Satisfaction
An impressive 89% of respondents reported satisfaction, or even high satisfaction, with City services. Only a minor 4% registered any dissatisfaction. The positive perception of the city was reinforced by the community’s high regard for safety, service quality, and family-friendliness.
Despite this overall satisfaction, the survey unveiled two areas where improvement is desirable: property taxes and excessive development.
Community Priorities
Public Safety and Emergency Management, Fiscal Management and Responsibility, and Reliable and Efficient Utility Services stood out as the top priorities. This continuity of concerns remains consistent with previous years’ results.
However, the community expressed concerns about safety in some specific areas, notably within homes and city parks. To address this, residents strongly backed the idea of routine safety patrols by the Westerville Police Department (WPD).
Parks, Recreation, and Information Sources
The Westerville Community Center emerged as the crown jewel in the Westerville Parks & Recreation system. Moreover, the city’s special events earned high accolades in this section.
The city’s publications were the primary source of information about public programs and services, closely followed by the City website.
Engagement and Awareness
Residents indicated a broad spectrum of interest and awareness when it comes to engaging with the city. A noticeable gap was seen with the city’s annual call for public service on Boards and Commissions. This process largely remained unnoticed or unfamiliar to most residents.
The city’s Facebook account emerged as the most active social media platform. However, it’s been used minimally for service or engagement issues.
Celebrations and Public Services
Special events like the 4th of July celebrations garnered high satisfaction levels, while other events like the State of the City were less known.
Public service volunteerism seems to be at a low, with only 39% of respondents indicating a willingness to volunteer with the City. This is despite the fact that about half of the respondents had volunteered in the past, and 30% were aware of the city’s volunteer opportunities.
Future Initiatives
In a positive move towards digital connectivity, 62% of respondents indicated their support for residential fiber-to-the-home service. Moreover, 84% favored a one-stop-shop and centralized customer service option at City Hall.
Historical Trends
Since 2005, Westerville residents have consistently voiced their satisfaction in most lifestyle and community aspects. However, traffic continues to be a thorn in the community’s side, frequently mentioned as the chief complaint.
Despite this, Westerville continues to make strides, always driven by the valuable feedback of its residents. As the city takes stock of these survey results, it’s clear the community remains committed to keeping Westerville a city of satisfaction.
The full survey results can be read here.
Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
