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Perryville residents who wish to weigh in on future city projects should watch their mailboxes this week.
According to city administrator Brent Buerck, the city began mailing its 2020 Perryville Community Survey to the city’s more than 3,600 households last week.
The purpose of the survey, Buerck said, is “to get feedback directly from the people we serve regarding the job we are doing.”
“We know we are not perfect but we want to be and this feedback only makes us better,” Buerck said. “It also helps determine the direction of our city as far as ballot initiatives, capital improvements, service delivery, and so on.”
This is the third time the city has distributed a survey, with the first coming in 2010 and another in 2015. Buerck said both were instrumental in helping city leaders lay out their five-year plans.
“They are absolutely considered when we establish policy and capital improvements,” Buerck said. “The [Board of Aldermen] decided several years ago on a five-year interval. Many of the questions have long-term implications, so this gives us time to catch up to the citizen preferences, ask the questions again, and then work the plan.”
Past surveys have been used to establish the level of refuse services desired, prioritize street maintenance and storm water drainage, and understand customer perceptions of city services.
“In 2015, it was used to explore a sales tax for the park system and sewer plant, water and sewer rate increases, and the proper level of code enforcement,” Buerck said.
This year’s version of the survey requests input on an number of issues, ranging from law enforcement and emergency services to city growth, quality of life and value received for city taxes.
The survey also goes into greater detail regarding a master plan for the city’s park system, asking residents what amenities they’ like to see added, along with a number of other questions regarding existing facilities.
Another section discusses the possibility of constructing a “joint justice center,” which would serve both Perryville Police and the Perry County Sheriff’s Office. The facility would serve as headquarters for both departments, as well as 9-1-1 services and offender housing, in addition to associate circuit and circuit court facilities, freeing space in the Perry County Courthouse for “non-criminal, lower security issues.”
“Surveys will be mailed to every city household,” Buerck said. “Citizens can respond to the paper version they receive in the mail, they can follow the QR code to an online version or they can enter the website address.”
Each survey received in the mail will include a postage-paid envelope to return the survey to ETC Institute in Kansas City. To respond online, residents should visit Perryvillesurvey.org, or scan the QR code included on the introductory letter.
“In 2010, we received 1,091 responses back,” Buerck said. “In 2015, we received 687. The more responses, the better job we can do meeting community expectations so I am hoping we get closer to our 2010 levels.”
