BIGHORN – Survey says – the majority of Bighorn residents are satisfied.
After more than 15 years without a customer satisfaction survey, the MD of Bighorn conducted one earlier this year from May to June with the results recently revealed at council's Tuesday (Sept. 10) meeting.
“The majority of respondents were very satisfied with the performance of council and the provision of municipal services,” Rob Ellis, Chief Administrative Officer of the MD said during the meeting.
With approximately one-third of residents in the MD responding, most respondents were from Exshaw, with responses also from Benchlands, Dead Man's Flats, Harvie Heights, Lac des Arcs, and north and south Ranchlands.
The purpose of the survey was to ask residents how the municipal government is achieving the delivery of services and what improvements can be made.
Notable highlights included: more than 50 per cent of residents agreed or strongly agreed council is accessible, approximately 70 per cent agreed services are delivered in a timely fashion, more than 60 per cent thought the recreational opportunities and the level of emergency services provided in the MD are satisfactory.
Of the respondents, it was noted 95 per cent own their homes, with 74 per cent residing in the MD full-time. Only 27 per cent of residents lived in the MD for less than four years, while 39 per cent lived in the MD for two or more decades.
The majority of residents surveyed also said they were satisfied with the road maintenance in winter and non-winter months, snow clearing, garbage collection and recycling services.
“This is like a really good report card for the MD of Bighorn … and I thought administration did an incredible job,” Coun. Paul Ryan said at the meeting.
Fellow councillors Lisa Rosvold, Erik Butters and Paul Clark also thanked administration for their hard work and commented on being happy residents were able to have their voices heard.
“This is like an audit of our behaviour, this is where there is an opportunity for a third party to come in [and] that’s great. This is how you learn and how you move forward,” Clark said.
Some notable responses also included 62 per cent of respondents were somewhat aware or not aware of the MD grant funding for community projects, 45 per cent of respondents were not aware of services provided by the Family and Community Support Services and 60 per cent were not so aware or aware at all of the emergency evacuation plan for their area.
“I think now we have a place to launch out from here with a clearer horizon,” Reeve Dene Cooper said.
