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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />DECEMBER 16, 1993 <br />improvements, and use of survey information to <br />determine whether or not a referendum would be <br />successful. <br />Morelan asked how survey questions are developed. <br />Morris replied that the first step is to have a <br />brain-storming session which he would facilitate. That <br />first session is usually attended by the City Council, <br />staff, commission heads, and residents if the City so <br />desires. At that session Morris reported that he asks <br />what the City would like to find out and a list of <br />topics is developed. The next step would be a session <br />to prioritize the topics. Topics are then molded into <br />neutral questions, and draft questions are brought back <br />for review and redrafting. <br />Scalze pointed out that the City conducted a survey a <br />few years ago and it was very worthwhile. Scalze <br />reported that she has used the survey many times over <br />the years, and felt that the survey has not just been <br />sitting on a shelf unused. <br />Hanson reported that the City has received a letter <br />from Mike Fahey opposing the survey, and he has <br />received a call from a resident in opposition. Hanson <br />pointed out that the Council and staff recently held a <br />goal-setting session which showed that the City is in a <br />transition period. The City is almost fully developed <br />and at a transition point. Hanson felt that the survey <br />could tell the City what residents would like the City <br />to be. <br />The City Administrator stated that the survey would be <br />a planning tool that is needed to go forward. The <br />survey is also a citizens empowerment tool, which <br />communicates to the Council the direction that citizens <br />would like the City to go. The Administrator pointed <br />out that the previous survey was used as the basis for <br />a lot of action that the Council took from 1988 on. A <br />new survey would help determine if citizen priorities <br />have changed since 1988, and would be vital to making <br />decisions down the road. The Administrator stated that <br />he liked the idea of the survey addressing budget and <br />capital improvement issues. <br />Hanson asked if a 400 random sample was the number used <br />regardless of the size of the community. <br />Morris reported that the accuracy of the survey is <br />based on the size of the sample, not the percentage of <br />people. A 400 random sample provides a plus or minus <br />5% accuracy rate. The size of the sample would have to <br />Page 5 <br />