Treasure Coast Sun

The City of Port St. Lucie is once again reaching out to its residents to gather their input and insights through the National Community Survey™. Partnering with the National Research Center (NRC) and Polco, the City aims to understand the needs and desires of its citizens to guide strategic planning and the development of new services.

Residents in Port St. Lucie will receive surveys in the mail, and City leaders are urging them to take the time to fill them out and return them. The information collected from these surveys, along with the annual Citizen Summit, will inform the City Council as they update the City's strategic plan and goals.

For those who do not receive a mail-in survey, an online option will be available on the City's website from February 3 to February 27. The survey focuses on community livability and includes questions about the quality of life, demographics, rating of local government services, and residents' use of services.

Polco, a team of skilled social science researchers, will provide the City with comparative data from other local governments across the country. This data will assist the Mayor, City Council, and staff in making operational, strategic, and policy decisions.

The City of Port St. Lucie has a history of using insights gathered from past Community Surveys and Citizen Summits to drive important community goals, initiatives, and changes. For example, road improvement projects funded by the voter-approved Half-Cent Sales Tax were prioritized based on input from the survey and summit. Additionally, findings from previous surveys led to the adoption of a new plan that features pedestrian-friendly roadways, additional traffic calming measures, and the development of new sidewalks, bikeways, and walking paths.

Residents' feedback will also play a crucial role in upcoming projects such as Pioneer Park at the Port District, Tradition Regional Park, and Torino Regional Park, as these projects are being designed with input from the survey and summit.

This year's survey will cover a range of topics, from specific questions about residents' willingness to pay for certain services to more general inquiries about their top priorities for the City. By engaging residents and gathering data through surveys, the City of Port St. Lucie is working toward its strategic goal of operating a high-performing government organization.

The efforts of the City to involve residents in decision making have not gone unnoticed. The International City/County Management Association (ICMA) and the NRC at Polco have recognized the City of Port St. Lucie as a past recipient of the Voice of the People Award. These awards honor local governments based on feedback from residents and acknowledge the City's commitment to enhancing communication with the community and making data-driven decisions.

The City of Port St. Lucie values the voices of its residents and encourages everyone to participate in the 2024 National Community Survey™. By sharing their thoughts and opinions, residents can help shape the future of their community and ensure that the City continues to meet their needs and aspirations.