Residents continue to express high satisfaction levels in Westerville as measured in the 2023 online resident survey, with consistently high rankings for City programs and services.
The survey was active online earlier this Spring, conducted by Strategic Research Group (SRG), a Columbus-based survey research firm.
Among the key outcomes of the survey:
-
Residents’ perceptions of Westerville, its government, and the various services and facilities it offers continue to be “very positive overall.” In fact, roughly 89% of respondents indicated they were satisfied or very satisfied with City services; only four percent indicated some level of dissatisfaction.
-
The “overall safety of the community,” “quality of services” and “family-friendly nature” of Westerville were the highest rated aspects.
-
“Property taxes” and “too much development” were rated lowest.
-
Community priorities remained largely steady in terms of their ratings as compared to previous years. The top three issues residents want prioritized, in order, are “Public Safety and Emergency Management,” “Fiscal Management and Responsibility” and “Reliable and Efficient Utility Services.”
-
While Westerville residents generally feel safe in the community, specific areas for where residents feel less safe, like “inside your home” and “in a City park,” rated slightly lower.
-
“Routine safety patrols” is the most-frequently selected public safety priority for WPD according to residents.
-
The highest-rated facility in the Westerville Parks & Recreation system is the Westerville Community Center. “Special events” also rated best in this section in terms of programs.
-
Publications produced and distributed by the City rated highest as the source of information about public programs and services, followed by the City website.
In a special section designed to better understand how residents wish to engage with the City, feedback demonstrated a wide range of both interest and awareness.
-
Most residents do not know or have not noticed the City’s annual call for public service on Boards and Commissions. And, the level of familiarity with specific Boards and Commissions was very low.
-
When it comes to social media, the City’s Facebook account is the most used/active social media platform, but very few residents have actually posted there for a service or engagement issue.
-
Special events have high levels of satisfaction overall. The 4th of July rated the highest; the State of the City was not as well-known.
-
Residents do not appear to have a strong appetite for public service volunteerism right now. About half of respondents said they had volunteered in the past, and about 30 percent were aware of volunteer opportunities with the City. Only about 39 percent said they would consider volunteering with the City.
-
As the City continues to investigate offering residential fiber-to-the-home service, more than 62% of respondents would support it.
-
Lastly, more than 84% of residents said a one-stop-shop and centralized customer service option at City Hall would be a good idea.
Tracking survey trends since 2005, Westerville residents continue to express satisfaction in most areas of their lifestyle and community life. Consistency is also seen in long-term views on traffic, which are considered a challenge and most commonly cited as residents’ chief complaint.
For a complete breakdown of the 2023 survey results, please the link below.
