DEPARTMENT: Office of Performance and Analysis (OPA)
FILE TYPE: Regular Information
TITLE
title
Discussion Of Multi-County 2025 Residential Opinion Survey Project
end
PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Discuss plans for a 2025 residential survey and summarize questions proposed in the draft survey.
SUMMARY
For two decades, Dakota County Commissioners have directed that a scientifically valid, random-sample public opinion survey be conducted on a two-to-three year cycle. The surveys gather objective information about residents' perceptions of quality of life, quality of services provided by the County, and their satisfaction with County government.
Dakota County staff collaborated with staff in other counties for the seven residential surveys completed since 2004. Collaboration has lowered costs and improved the utility of the survey by providing comparable data and information across organizations.
In 2025, Dakota, Olmsted, Scott, St. Louis, and Washington counties propose to survey their respective residents to assess residential opinions and the performance of county government. As in previous survey projects, the 2025 Residential Survey Project is a partnership between the counties. A joint powers agreement (JPA) was approved in July 2024 by Dakota County Commissioners. Dakota County is the fiscal agent for the survey project and will manage the contract with the survey consultant, Polco/the National Research Center, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin. Polco is a national strategic planning and public opinion research firm, focusing on information needs of the public sector. Dakota County has contracted with this organization for years, which has ensured consistency of benchmarking over time. Costs of the 2025 survey will be determined by the length of the survey, type of questions used, mailing requests, and amount of analysis prepared by the consultant.
It is anticipated that mailed postcards will be sent to a minimum of 4,900 randomly selected residential addresses in...
Click here for full text