Joco Today

City of De Soto announces results for first community-wide citizen satisfaction survey

The City of De Soto released the results of its first community-wide survey aimed at both measuring satisfaction with City services and gauging

residents’ priorities for the future.

The survey, administered by Olathe-based national survey leader ETC Institute, showed the City

rated significantly above the national average in 23 of the 34 service areas assessed. The

survey also found that 80 percent of the respondents said they were very satisfied or satisfied

with the overall quality of life in De Soto. In addition, 85 percent would recommend De Soto

as a place to live.

“The survey was abundantly clear – residents have a positive perception of the City,” said Ryan

Murray, Assistant Director of Community Research, ETC. “This is the first time the City has

assessed citizen perception of services, making the results even more impressive. It’s important

to note that even in the areas tagged as a priority for improvement, the City is still scoring higher

than regional and national averages.”

Residents gave top marks to the following, indicating they are “very satisfied” or satisfied” with:

● Feeling of safety: 86 percent

● Overall quality of public education: 82 percent

● Quality of life: 80 percent

● Quality of services provided by the City: 74 percent

Residents gave the highest scores to these City services, with percentages reflecting those

who answered “very satisfied” or “satisfied.”

● Quality of customer service from City employees: 75 percent

● Quality of City Parks and Recreation programs and facilities: 72 percent

● Quality of law enforcement: 72 percent

Residents gave the lowest marks to its “quality of downtown,” with 29 percent saying they are

“very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the area, indicating an opportunity for improvement for the City.

How the survey was administered

The survey was mailed to all households in De Soto. Each household had the option to

complete and return the paper survey, take it online, or take it over the phone. Residents could

also opt to take the survey in Spanish or have questions read to them by an ETC

representative.

A total of 507 residents completed the survey – twice the goal of 250 needed to ensure the

results were statistically valid. The results reflect the city’s demographic and geographic

diversity.

How the City will use the results

The survey results will help City leadership better understand residents’ needs and prioritize

resources accordingly. Residents identified four top priorities for improvement:

● Planning and community development

● Water and wastewater utility services

● Street maintenance

● Communication with the public

“I’m encouraged by the overall high level of satisfaction,” said Mike Brungardt, De Soto City

Administrator. “We know the recent announcement of the Panasonic plant has residents

focused on planning and communication. We look forward to using the survey to help us

continue to improve service delivery and allocate resources effectively.”

Other findings

● Types of businesses: 76 percent would like to see more restaurants, bars and pubs

while 57 percent would like more health and personal care stores. In addition, residents

wrote in “hardware store” more than any other business that they’d like to see in De

Soto..

● The three words most frequently used to describe De Soto by residents were “friendly,”

“small” and “quiet.”

● When asked what “small town” means to residents, most respondents said “friendly,”

“people” and “neighbors.”

The complete survey results can be found here.

For a PPT of the results, including comparisons and context, see here.

An executive summary of the results can be found here.

Original source can be found here