Resident Survey to Help Shape Village Policy Decisions, Set Priorities

How has the village been doing serving you? What local issue are you concerned about? That's the type of information officials seek to collect with an online village-wide survey launching this fall.

The village approved a $6,000 contract with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Urban Initiatives and Research to design, administer and manage an electronic survey, to be launched mid-September.

Trustee Patrick Linnane said the village typically conducts a survey every few years. This year's survey will consist primarily of questions from a 2008 village survey with a few new questions related to sewer projects, visioning efforts and social media outreach. 

"What we have been able to do over time with the surveys is get an idea of what people are thinking, what themes are emerging with the residents that will help us with direction for policy and help us set priorities, get some feedback on the things we have done that they have been concerned about," Linnane said. 

As part of the agreement, UWM will also collect and analyze data from the survey. 

An additional $1,775 in budgeted village funds will go toward postcards, and postage, which will be mailed to Shorewood households with a web address for the survey. 

"We've invested a lot into projects ... it's a good opportunity to check in and see how we are doing with some of our efforts," Trustee Michael Maher said. 

There will be two dedicated computer stations at the Shorewood Public Library, and another at Village Hall, for those in need of Internet access. There will also be hard copies, pencil-and-paper, available at Village Hall, Village Center and the Department of Public Works.