14.0. PRSR 03-12-1997 ITEM 14.
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alo
Newsletter
Besi 0
Survey Results Are In
The survey is complete. The results are Most respondents were from the 36-
3., in. Some of you asked for a timely re- 50 age bracket with families of 3-5
• port of these results. Well here it is. Out and live north of highway 55. The
of 4,848 mailed surveys, we received other large respondent group were
1 responses from 602 of you. That is seniors with one or two in the family.
i roughly a 15%response rate. An inter- The count went like this:
I esting consideration is that the national Age Distribution
t,
-1; average response rate on surveys that 18-24 4.5%
provide an incentive(i.e.a$2.00 credit 25-35 25.7%
on utility bills)with postage prepaid is 36-50 35.9%
1 35%. What does it mean that our city 50+ 31.7%
I residents responded less than the na- NA 2.2%
tional average? We really don't know continued on page 2
the answer to that one.
The following is a summary of the re-
sponses for each question and the de- °-,.. ; t r
mographic information on the respon- j'
dents. We received a lot of creative so-
lutions that are just too numerous to
mention,but are sure to receive consid-
eration. Several of you had suggestions
that were specific and easily solved.
Some of these, we have already taken
action on. The "NA" category on each
question are those that didn't answer that �'"'
question.
IFirst,a little about the respondents.
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. Survey Results Continued
continued from front page chain grocery store, more shopping be considered in depth.The responses
Family Size downtown and public transportation. were so diverse and specific that we
1 16% Other things disliked by some were dy- could never list them all here. But it
2 31% ing downtown, strip malls on Hwy 55, was evident that there are lots of
3-5 44.2% the smell from Buffalo Lake,etc. questions that we can provide an-
5+ 7.5% swers to. What we will be doing is a
NA 1.3% No.3-If it were up to me I would... series of articles that will attempt to
NA 31.9% explain why something is done that
Location in City Other 19.3% way it is, or why something hasn't
NE of 55 41.5% Road/Traffic changes 16.6% been done.See the articles in this is-
S of 55,W of Central 29.6% Business changes 10.3% sue on trails and snow removal.
S of 55,E of Central 26.9% Parks changes 9.14%
NA 2% Train changes 8.0%
We got very diverse answers to the Trail changes 4.8%
survey questions and some very cre- Those of you that answered this ques- continued on next page
ative suggestions.Just what we were tion had some great ideas,many that will
looking for. We looked for trends in
the responses and then categorized
them the best we could.
No.!-What one thing do you like
most about Buffalo?
Small town feeling 34.6%
• Lakes/Beauty 13.3%
Other 11.5%
Friendliness 10.5%
NA 9.8%
Convenient location
9.1%
Shopping 8.8%
Schools 2.5%
Falling into the"other"category were
responses like closeness to family,
church,or just everything.
No.2-What one thing do you
dislike most about Buffalo? 't $'''44"='.=-'•'`
NA 22.9% r
Growth_ 21.4%
Traffic 18.8%
Lacking some
particular service 14.1%
Trains 13.3%
Other 9.5%
In response to this questions many
people evidently couldn't think of
anything they disliked enough to men-
tion.We grouped together people who "
Elidisliked Buffalo not having a particu-
lar service. These were things like a
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• continued from page two
No.4-I believe we need to protect Other Commerce 10.8% No. 8-I think there should be an
our City's natural resources Other 8.6% ordinance defining the condition
better. The respondents to this question over- homes should be maintained in
True 77.9% whelmingly would like to see recreation the City?
False 11.1% facilities like a rec center,outdoor swim- Agree 70.9%
NA 11% ming pool,roller rinks and a place where Disagree 20.6%
teens could hang out.Those with corn- NA 8.5%
No.5-Traffic is a problem in merce suggestions wanted to see a larger The City Council has already con-
Buffalo. grocery store, public transportation to ducted the public hearing process for
True 73.1% Minneapolis,nice restaurants,etc. this ordinance and the final draft is
False 21.3% scheduled to be reviewed by the
NA 5.6% No.7-I think the ideal population Council in the middle of September.
for Buffalo is...
No.6-Is there a service or activity We averaged the 415 responses we re- No.9-Overall,I think our local
that we do not have that you ceived to this question and came up with economy is...
would like to see in town? 11,207. The unofficial city population Healthy 42.5%
NA 45.2% as of April 1, 1995 was 7,994. As good as others 40.7%
Recreation Facility 35.4% continued on next page
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• This was one of the most creative responses to our survey. The artist provided his view as you come down Center Street
toward Buffalo Lake.
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Needs help 10.1%
NA 6.6%
No.10-The best park is...
Sturges 56.5%
NA 26.7%
Griffing 8.5%
Other 4.8%
West Pulaski 2%
Lions 1.5%
No.11 -Your family uses a city
park...
NA 24.8%
1/month 21.3%
2/month 13.8%
Never 9.6%
1/week 9.5%
more than 2/week 8.6%
2/week 7.5%
less than 1/month 5%
No.12-The best place to take
small children in the city is...
0 A park 45.4%
NA 34.1%
Other 8.8% cluded stay home, church, friend's Bentfield 1.7%
McDonald's Playland 6.5% homes, Econofoods parking lot or jail. No. 16-The best facilities to have
Library 3.7% I hope they were joking. I also wonder in a park with playground
Movies,Movies,Movies 1.7% if the people who listed McDonalds equipment would be...
Several people listed a specific park meant the playland? Water
for this,we grouped them all Very Important 387
together for this question. "Other" No.14-The best park to improve Somewhat Imp. 119
respponses included ECFE,friend's is... Not Needed 25
homes,church,etc. NA 38.9% NA 71
Griffing 25.6% Lights
No.13-The best place for high Sturges 17.11% Very Important 323
school-age kids to go in the City Other 6% Somewhat Imp. 140
is... Lions 5.8% Not Needed 59
NA 43.9% West Pulaski 4.5% NA 80.
There isn't one 35.1% Bentfield 2.2% Bathroom
Movies or Movies,Movies Very Important 498
Movies 10.3% No.15-The best park to add new Somewhat Imp. 43
Other 6.5% playground equipment to is... Not Needed 2
A park 5.5% NA 43% NA .59
School activities 7.6% Sturges 21% Parking
McDonalds 1.2% Griffing 15% Very Important 319
The responses to this question really Lions 8.5% Somewhat Imp. 193
make it apparent that the teens in our Other 5.5% Not Needed 11
community need a place to go and/or West Pulaski 5.3% NA 79
• activities to keep them busy. Re-
sponses in the "Other" category in- continued on next page
WiLttt ,t. s 4 r T. tY y ^''',A4'Gj - =4`'W''', ,:?-- Q"^SX a h J
continued from page four
• Picnic Area The Park Board and the City Council No.19-The best improvement to
Very Important 306 are well aware of the need for more trails city streets has been...
Somewhat Imp. 194 in the city(see article in this issue). One Hwy 55 lights 31%
Not Needed 26 problem they see is that streets that have NA 30.5%
NA 76 been designed with bike lanes have not Downtown 21.7%
Shade been marked accordingly. Other 13.3%
Very Important 397 Less Potholes 3.5%
Somewhat Imp. 128 The Park Board is working on signage
Not Needed 11 and maps to better mark the already ex- No.20-The best thing about the
NA 66 isting bike paths. Buffalo Public Library is...
Other suggestions for park amenities Location/Setting 47.9%
were trails,benches,improved main- No.18-The best place to build a NA 29%
tenance and a pool. new trail in the city would be... Other
8.1%
NA 41.4% Materials Available 7.8%
No.l7-The best trail to walk or Buffalo Lake 28.1% Friendly/Helpful staff 7.2%
bike on in town is... Pulaski Lake 11.8%
NA 40.7% Other 11% No.21 -The best improvement to
None Available 34.6% To new high school 4.2% the library would be...
Buffalo Lake 19.1% Rural areas 3.5% NA 41.2%
Other 3.3% More materials at site 22.9%
Pulaski Road 2.33% More hours/reg times 12.3%
Other 9.3%
Computers 8.6%
More parking during day 5.7%
IIINo.22-The best question we left
off this survey is...
NA 70%
Other 14%
Traffic solutions 5.5%
Taxation comments 4.2%
Growth opinions 2.8%
Park maint.opinions 2%
Shopping suggestions 1.5%
No.23-Other Comments
NA 59%
Other 16.2%
Traffic problems 9.2%
Recreation related 8.3%
Shopping related 3.5%
Growth related 2.5%
Taxation opinions 1.3%
The rest of the questions were in the
section that was mandatory to answer
in order to get the $2.00 utility bill
credit. Our goal was to determine just
how popular computer usage is in the
home and if this would be a viable
continued on next page
0 Industrial Park Growing Survey Results
by Laureen Bodin
Assistant City Administrator continued from page five
The second addition of the Centennial been planning to build a substation on
for means to disseminate information to
Industrial Park is now ready the north side of Highway 55, and the the public about city happenings such
industrial development. City Council has offered a building site
as meeting agendas,meeting minutes,
Approximately 40 acres makes u
P at the park. They plan to construct a city ordinances,etc.
the addition west of County Road 134 four to six bay station that will include
and south of Pine Meadows. To take meeting and training space and have What we found was that 42.7%of the
a look at the park take First Street scheduled this project for 1997.
Northeast at the signals north past the respondents have computers in the
home with another 14.1%planning to
Buffalo Manor Mobile Home Park,
A marketing campaign is underway purchase one in the next year. 29%
or turn north at the Bentfield Mills that is directed at growing industries. have a modem and 14.8%belong to
Park intersection of Co. Rd. 34 and We try to attract small to medium sized
134. an on-line service like Compuserve.
companies with growth potential. However, 75.9% do not use the
Approval was given to divide a parcel Internet,but 36.5%would like to be
Many residents commute and have of land for a 25,000 square foot facility able to get city information over the
stated their desire to work closer to for a company called Beekeepers.
internet. So it looks like there are
home. The City's goal is to attract
They manufacture decorative candles some people who would need to up-
quality industrial development that and employ 15 to 25 persons. We plan grade their equipment with a modem
provides employment opportunities to see that development take place and use the Internet to get to city in-
here in Buffalo. The industrial tax during the upcoming months.
base is another benefit the City will formation.
0 experience. - If you work for a company that may be
Having computers available for pub-
considering expanding or relocating, lic use in the library was a popular
A parcel is already sold to the U.S. please contact us and we will send them 70%idea with 70%of the respondents in
Postal Service to build a sorting information about development favor. Respondents were split 50/50
facility. The Fire Department has opportunities.
on whether there should be Internet
access on these computers. Some
concerns were about the cost or su-
pervision of children on this type of
availability.
Thank you to all of you who took the
time to respond to our first Best ofBuf-
falo Survey. It is our hope to be able
to do this annually, but your input is
appreciated at all times. Just call 682-
1181.
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