Survey says — timing not right for city survey

The mantra for success in business may be location, location, location, but for local governments it’s timing, timing, timing. Gauging by the sparks that have been flying over a proposed Wasilla city survey, the timing for that project seems to be off.

Mayor Dianne M. Keller and city staff want to follow up on a survey the city commissioned in 2005 to see how local residents feel the city has addressed areas of concern outlined then. The same company, Dittman Research Inc., would do the follow-up.

Seems reasonable. The best way to know how the city has addressed any concerns or issues raised in 2005 is to ask again.

Problem is, the follow-up survey wasn’t budgeted for and the original $13,231 price tag stuck in the craw of some on the council. Dittman recently came back and informed the city the tweaks council wants to make to the new survey would cost an additional $4,675. Coming off the heels of the city debating where it would get money to buy books for its library, the timing of considering nearly $18,000 to follow up a 3-year-old survey is not optimal.

Why Dittman even needs to draft a new survey should be the first question asked. If the city truly wants an accurate response it should simply ask the same questions again and compare responses. Anything else is conducting a new survey. And, the city certainly doesn’t need to hire Dittman to recreate the same questions asked in 2005. Distribute those surveys with residents’ water bills, put it in this hometown newspaper and also post it online. There are many inexpensive options that can serve as well.

This is assuming the follow-up survey must be conducted now. If the city still insists it needs the follow-up done by Dittman, do it next year when its cost can be factored into the next fiscal year’s budget. What one wants and what one can afford are often on opposite ends of the spectrum. One may want a new car, but if purchasing that car isn’t in the budget, it has to wait. The same should be true for municipal and other local governments. If it were so vital this follow-up survey be done at this time, it would’ve been budgeted for.

With the jury still out on Wasilla City Council’s investigation into the city administration’s actions regarding Meritage Development LLC, the city and council may be better served to hold off on paying for any surveys now. Chances are, there may be more pressing issues to survey local residents about.