Hays City Services Survey 2002

By

Brett Zollinger, Ph.D.

University Center for Survey ResearchFort Hays State University

Hays, Kansas 67601

Survey Objectives• Determine citizens’ evaluation of City

services and City government and compare to responses in previous surveys where trend data are available

• Determine perceived need for City economic development activity

• Determine shopping behavior in communities other than Hays

Methods• Telephone survey of Hays residents

• Conducted April 4 to April 24, 2002• Randomly generated phone numbers in

sample (includes unlisted numbers)

• 395 adult respondents (Margin of error = +/-5%)

• Cooperation rate = 74%

Rating Fire Protection, Law Enforcement, Animal Control and Storm Water Drainage:

1996, 1999, 2002

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Animal Control 2002Animal Control 1999Animal Control 1996

Law Enforcement 2002Law Enforcement 1999Law Enforcement 1996

Fire Protection 2002Fire Protection 1999Fire Protection 1996

Storm Water Drainage 2002Storm Water Drainage 1999

Good Fair Poor

Rating Parks, Street Lighting, Airport, and Road Maintenance: 1996, 1999, 2002

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Road Maintenance 2002Road Maintenance 1999Road Maintenance 1996

Airport 2002Airport 1999Airport 1996

Street Lighting 2002Street Lighting 1999Street Lighting 1996

Parks 2002Parks 1999Parks 1996

Good Fair Poor

Rating Water & Sewer Services, Trash Pickup, Snow Removal, and Intersection Traffic:

1996, 1999, 2002

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Intersection Traffic 2002Intersection Traffic 1999Intersection Traffic 1996

Snow Removal 2002Snow Removal 1999Snow Removal 1996

Trash Pickup 2002Trash Pickup 1999Trash Pickup 1996

Water-Sewer Services 2002Water-Sewer Services 1999Water-Sewer Services 1996

Good Fair Poor

Condition of Neighborhood Streets

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Many Bad Spots Mostly Good But aFew Bad Spots

Good Condition

1999

2002

Condition of Major Streets

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Poor Fair Good

1999

2002

Perceived Improvement Needs: 1999, 2002

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Aquatic Park 2002*

Playground Equipment 2002

Playground Equipment 1999

Shelter and Picnic Areas 2002

Shelter and Picnic Areas 1999

Skateboard Parks 2002

Skateboard Parks 1999

Vegetation in Parks 2002

Vegetation in Parks 1999

Needs Much ImprovementNeeds Some Improvement

Needs No Improvement

*The 1999 survey item rating neighborhood swimming pools was replaced in 2002 with an item rating the Aquatic Park.

Perceived Improvement Needs: 1999, 2002 (cont.)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Basketball Courts 2002

Basketball Courts 1999

Baseball/Softball Fields 2002

Baseball/Softball Fields 1999

Soccer Fields 2002

Soccer Fields 1999

Tennis Courts 2002

Tennis Courts 1999

Needs Much ImprovementNeeds Some Improvement

Needs No Improvement

Evaluation of City Government’s Overall Operation: 1996, 1999, 2002

0% 20%40%60%80%100%

Operation of City Government 2002

Operation of City Government 1999

Operation of City Government 1996

Well or Very WellNeither Well Nor PoorlyPoorly or Very Poorly

Efficacy of City Property Tax: 1995, 1996, 1999

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%100%

Efficacy of Property Tax 2002

Efficacy of Property Tax 1999

Efficacy of Property Tax 1996

Getting More Than WorthGetting Worth

Not Getting Worth

The present city property tax for an $80,000 home is about $90 per month. The revenue from this tax funds the police and fire departments, park and street maintenance, building inspection services, the public library, and the airport. Given the taxes you pay for city services, do you feel you are:

Have Accessed the City’s Website

72.3%

27.7%

No

Yes

Feel Safe Walking Alone at Night in Hays (Perceived Safety)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Very Safe Safe Unsafe Very Unsafe

1999

2002

Worry About Loss to Fire (All Respondents)

53.2%

40.9%

5.9%

Never

Sometimes

Often

Often or Sometimes Worry About Loss from Fire by Area of Hays

49%45%

40%46%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Southeast Southwest Northeast Northwest

City Should Build a Fire Station Closer to Neighborhood (All Respondents)

9.0%

55.1%

27.8%

8.1%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

Agree that City Should Build a Fire Station Closer to Neighborhood by Area of Hays

44%

22%

40%35%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Southeast Southwest Northeast Northwest

Worry About Loss to Flooding (All Respondents)

66.8%

27.4%

5.9%

Never

Sometimes

Often

Often or Sometimes Worry About Loss from Flooding by Area of Hays

29%36%

25%

35%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Southeast Southwest Northeast Northwest

City Should Spend More on Storm Water Control in Neighborhood (All Respondents)

6.0%

55.7%

30.3%

7.9%

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

Agree that City Should Spend More on Flood Water Control in Neighborhood by Area of Hays

23%

47%

32%37%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Southeast Southwest Northeast Northwest

Opinions on Possible Hays City Business Development Efforts

City Should Spend Resources on Business Development & Recruitment

24.2%

75.8%

No

Yes

Importance Rating of Possible City Business Development Activities

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Create High Paying Jobs

Create High Skill Jobs

Help Small Start-Up Businesses

Help Existing Small Businesses

Recruit High Tech. Businesses

Recruit Retail Businesses

Recruit Manufacturing Businesses

Very ImportantImportantUnimportantVery Unimportant

Non-local Shopping Behavior and Preferences (Leakages)

Frequency of Shopping Other Communities

Once a Week (5.80%)More Than Once a Week (2.70%)

Never (7.50%)

Once a Month (33.90%)

A Few Times a Year (50.10%)

Once a Month (31.30%)

Once a Week (5.10%)More Than Once a Week (3.10%)

Never (12.70%)

A Few Times a Year (47.80%)

1999

2002

Purchasing Products/Services Outside of Hays: 1999 (N=155 Total Instances of Purchasing Mentioned)

Type of Product/Service Purchased Outside of Hays

Pe

rce

nt

Pu

rch

asi

ng

Pro

du

ct/S

erv

ice 30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Purchasing Products/Services Outside of Hays: 2002 (N=149 Total Instances of Purchasing Mentioned)

Types Products Purchased Outside Hays

Pe

rce

nt

of

All

Ou

tsid

e P

urc

ha

ses

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Purchasing Services Outside of Hays: 2002 only

(N= 73 Total Instances of Purchasing Services Outside of Hays)

Types of Services Purchased Outside Hays

Other Service

Financial

Accounting

TaxLegal

Dental

Medical

Pe

rce

nt

of

All

Ou

tsid

e P

urc

ha

ses

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Summary of Findings

• Overall, satisfaction with city services and facilities tends to be high and similar to satisfaction levels found in previous studies.

• The areas most consistently showing improved ratings are:

– Trash collection

– Parks

– Fire protection

• Areas of least satisfaction are the same as in 1999:

– Road maintenance

– Intersection traffic

– Shelter and picnic facilities in parks

– Playground equipment

– Tennis courts

– Basketball courts

Summary of Findings (continued)

• Positive ratings of neighborhood streets have declined since 1999, but positive ratings for major streets have increased since 1999.

• Rating of the overall performance of city government has declined.

• Perceived efficacy of City property tax is high but slightly lower than in past years.

Summary of Findings (continued)

• Perceived personal safety in Hays is high and unchanged since 1999.

• 47% of all respondents often or sometimes worry about losses due to fire; this is highest in the southeast (49%) and lowest in the northeast (40%).

• 36% of all respondents think the city should build another fire station; this is highest in the southeast (44%) and lowest in the southwest (22%).

• 33% of all respondents often or sometimes worry about losses due to flooding; this is highest in the southwest (36%) and lowest in the northeast (25%).

• 38% of all respondents think the city should spend more on flood prevention; this is highest in the southwest (47%) and lowest in the southeast (23%).

Summary of Findings (continued)

• Three fourths (76%) of all respondents feel that the City of Hays should be involved in business development & recruitment.

• Very high percentages (85%+) of respondents rate all forms of business development offered as very important or important.

• The approach perceived as most important, by a slim margin, is “helping existing businesses,” and the least important is “creating high skill jobs.”

Summary of Findings (continued)

• Under half (39%) of all respondents shop in communities other than Hays on a regular basis (at least once a month), only slightly lower than in 1999 when 43% indicated they do so.

• In 1999, bulk supplies were the most often purchased item outside of Hays, but in 2002, the most often purchased item is groceries.

• The most often purchased service outside of Hays in 2002 is medical services, followed by dental, and the least often purchased service outside of Hays is tax services.

University Center for Survey Research785-628-5881