West Kelowna residents who received what the city calls its a 2016 "citizen" survey in the mail in May are encouraged to return their completed forms by Friday, June 10 to ensure their voice is heard.
One thousand surveys were sent to randomly selected taxpayers last month. West Kelowna’s goal is to receive as many surveys as possible in order to provide scientifically accurate results to council.
Findings from the survey will help the city set future budget priorities and results indicate how residents feel about the level and quality of programs and services they are currently receiving from the municipality.
The results will also help determine if West Kelowna should be providing more, the same or less service in specified areas.
According o the city, with limited municipal funds, the survey is a tool needed to help identify taxpayers’ priorities and is extremely beneficial to council tackles its annual two-pronged goal of trying to keep taxes as low as possible while and building reserves for future needs.
The results from this year’s survey can also be compared against previous years’ findings to see what trends are forming.
For example, taxpayers have consistently identified road maintenance as a top priority since the survey began in 2008. Economic development, growth management, pedestrian pathways and litter cleanup also rank high each year.
Residents who did not receive a survey through the mail are also welcome to complete the form and provide council with their feedback.
But the city says only the surveys mailed in May are used to tabulate the scientific portion of the survey.
For more information or to download and print a survey, go to westkelownacity.ca/citizenssurvey.
Completed surveys must be delivered to the West Kelowna municipal offices at 2760 Cameron Road in West Kelowna before 4:30 p.m. on Friday, June 10.