AGENDA ITEM NO. 10.2

CITY OF ELK GROVE CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT

AGENDA TITLE: Receive opinion research report and adopt

a resolution dispensing with competitive bidding and authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with The Lew Edwards Group to continue community outreach, assessment of community priorities and planning efforts related to securing additional local funding in the amount not to exceed $191,550

MEETING DATE: March 9, 2016 PREPARED BY: Andrew Keys, Budget Manager DEPARTMENT HEAD: Laura Gill, City Manager RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff recommends the City Council:

1) Receive and consider the report on independent public opinion research conducted by Godbe Research (acting as a subcontractor to The Lew Edwards Group) related to community priorities, community opinion of the City and community interest in securing additional local funding; and

2) Adopt resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a contract with The Lew Edwards group to continue community outreach, assessment of community priorities and planning efforts related to a potential future sales tax measure to fund community priorities in the amount of $191,550.

1

Elk Grove City Council March 9, 2016 Page 2 of 3 BACKGROUND INFORMATION: On October 20, 2015, the City entered into a contract with The Lew Edwards Group to provide Assessment Services for securing additional local funding. That contract has now been completed. The primary focus of the contract was to develop and conduct an independent public opinion survey to gauge resident satisfaction and priorities for City services as well as gauge interest in securing additional local funding. The contract identified Godbe Research as a subcontractor to Lew Edwards. Godbe Research’s role was to execute the community survey and provide unbiased results to the City. The telephone only survey was conducted from December 6, 2015, through December 9, 2015. On average, interviews were approximately 20 minutes in length, and a total of 505 Elk Grove residents participated in the survey, resulting in a margin of error of plus or minus 4.34% for polling results. Consistent with the results of the National Citizen Survey presented to Council on February 10, 2016, residents have a highly favorable opinion of the City and City government’s ability to respond to their perceived and actual needs. Bryan Godbe of Godbe Research will be in attendance to present the results to the Council. The Godbe report is included as Attachment 3. In response to the initial interest in securing additional local funding shown through these survey results, Staff recommends the City Council direct continued community engagement and outreach efforts. These efforts will allow the City to gain more insight into resident priorities, satisfaction and future desires to help create a community empowered budget reflective of resident priorities such as maintaining rapid police response times, attracting local businesses and maintaining local roadways. General outreach meetings with broad stakeholders throughout the City will be conducted in addition to another independent public opinion research survey to further understand community priorities and needs. To continue such efforts, Council will need to authorize a new contract with The Lew Edwards Group and additional budget authority. A resolution including the proposed contract is attached to this report.

2

Elk Grove City Council March 9, 2016 Page 3 of 3 FISCAL IMPACT: The first contract with the Lew Edwards Group is now complete. The total cost of that contract was $47,600. The table below shows the amounts and proposed funding sources for the final two phases in the newly proposed contract:

Term Not to Exceed

Amount

Funding Source Phase I March – June

2016 $70,000 Current Year General

Fund Budget Savings Phase II July – October

2016 $121,550 Current Year General

Fund Budget Savings Total Contract

Cost $191,550

The total cost for the new contract is $191,550. When combined with the cost of the first contract with The Lew Edwards Group, the total cost of outreach and planning efforts would be $239,150. No additional budget authority is needed to fund the proposed contract, as current year budget savings in the General Fund can be reallocated to the contract. The contract requires the City to authorize The Lew Edwards Group to move forward from Phase I to Phase II. Should at any time during Phase I Staff determine that further continuing with the contract is not in the best interest of the City, Phase II work can be cancelled at no penalty to the City. ATTACHMENTS:

1. Resolution Authorizing the City Manager to Execute a Contract with The Lew Edwards Group

2. Contract for Phase I and Phase II work with The Lew Edwards Group 3. Elk Grove Revenue Measure Feasibility Survey Presentation

3

ATTACHMENT 1

A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ELK GROVE DISPENSING WITH COMPETITIVE BIDDING AND AUTHORIZING THE CITY

MANAGER TO EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH THE LEW EDWARDS GROUP FOR CONTINUED COMMUNITY OUTREACH, ASSESSMENT OF COMMUNITY

PRIORITIES AND PLANNING EFFORTS RELATED TO CREATING A COMMUNITY EMPOWERED BUDGET IN THE AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED $191,550

WHEREAS, in December 2015, Godbe Research, under the direction of The Lew Edwards Group, conducted an independent public opinion survey on behalf of the City; and WHEREAS, the results of the survey were presented to the City Council at its regular meeting on March 9, 2016; and WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the survey results show strong resident satisfaction with City government’s effectiveness and financial management; and WHEREAS, the results are consistent with those in the National Citizen Survey for comparable questions; and

WHEREAS, the City Council recognizes the survey results showing strong community interest in securing additional local funding and desires to continue community engagement efforts and assessments of community priorities and satisfaction to gather more information and opinions from a broader group of community stakeholders; and WHEREAS, The Lew Edwards Group previously assisted the City in 2010 in similar efforts in relation to the modernization of the City’s Utility User’s Tax; and

WHEREAS, The Lew Edwards Group recently completed a contract with the City to provide an initial assessment of community satisfaction and priorities; and

WHEREAS, The Lew Edwards Group has a strong history of professionalism and success in providing these services to municipalities within the region and statewide; and

WHEREAS, for the reasons presented, seeking competitive bids for the subject services is not in the best interest of the City. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the City Council of the City of Elk Grove hereby dispenses with the competitive bidding process pursuant to Elk Grove Municipal Code section 3.42.188(B)(3), and authorizes the City Manager to execute a contract with the Lew Edwards Group in an amount not to exceed $191,550.

4

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the City Council of the City of Elk Grove this 9th day of March 2016. GARY DAVIS, MAYOR of the

CITY OF ELK GROVE ATTEST: APPROVED AS TO FORM: JASON LINDGREN, CITY CLERK JONATHAN P. HOBBS,

CITY ATTORNEY

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

Page 1

February 2016

The City of Elk Grove: Highlights of 2015 Revenue Measure Feasibility Survey

February 2016

24

Page 2

February 2016

Overview and Research Objectives

The City of Elk Grove commissioned Godbe Research to conduct a survey of

constituents with the following research objectives:

Assess overall perceptions of living in Elk Grove;

Gauge satisfaction with the City’s performance in providing resident

services and amenities, as well as whether the City is effectively

managing public funds;

Gauge constituent interest, if any in a local funding measure to maintain

and improve essential City services with funds that cannot be taken by the

State; and

Identify differences in opinions due to demographic and/or behavioral

characteristics.

25

Page 3

February 2016

Methodology Overview

Data Collection Telephone Interviewing

Fielding Dates December 6 through December 10, 2015

Interview Length 20 minutes

Sample Size 505

Margin of Error ± 4.34%

26

Page 4

February 2016

Key Findings

27

Page 5

February 2016

Opinion on Quality of Life

Note: The above rating questions have been abbreviated for charting purposes, and responses were recoded to calculate mean scores:

“Excellent” = +3, “Good” = +2, “Fair” = +1, and “Poor” = 0.

0 1 2 3

Elk Grove as a place to work

Elk Grove as a place to visit

Elk Grove as a place to participate in recreation

The overall quality of life in Elk Grove

Elk Grove as a place to live

1.73

1.76

2.03

2.19

2.27

Poor Good Excellent

Tie

r 2

Tie

r 3

Tie

r 1

Fair

28

Page 6

February 2016

Opinion on Job the City is Doing to

Provide Services

Very favorable 33.0%

Somewhat favorable

48.0%

Somewhat unfavorable

7.1%

Very unfavorable 4.4%

DK/NA 7.4%

Total Favorable: 81.0%

Total Unfavorable: 11.5%

Fav/Unfav Ratio: 7.1 to 1

29

Page 7

February 2016

Opinion on Job the City is Doing to

Manage and Spend Public Funds

Very favorable 20.3%

Somewhat favorable

36.2%

Somewhat unfavorable

14.7%

Very unfavorable 8.2%

DK/NA 20.6%

Total Favorable: 56.5%

Total Unfavorable: 22.9%

Fav/Unfav Ratio: 2.5 to 1

30

Page 8

February 2016

Interest in Potential Simple Majority

Requirement Local Funding Measure

To provide funding to make

neighborhoods safer and maintain and

improve essential City services including:

• maintaining rapid police response

times;

• fixing potholes; repairing city streets;

• maintaining neighborhood police

patrols;

• providing additional recreational

facilities;

• enhancing commuter transit service;

• enhancing economic development;

• maintaining pedestrian and bike trails;

and

• other essential city services;

shall the City of Elk Grove enact an

ongoing one cent sales tax, providing

approximately $19 million dollars

annually, with annual audits, independent

citizens' oversight, and all funds spent

locally?

Probably No 11.7%

Definitely No 21.8%

DK/NA 7.4%

Definitely Yes 33.5%

Probably Yes 25.6%

Total Support 59.1%

31

Page 9

February 2016

Service Ranking

Note: The above rating questions have been abbreviated for charting purposes, and responses were recoded to calculate mean scores: “Much

More Likely” = +2, “Somewhat More Likely” = +1, “No Effect” = 0, “Somewhat Less Likely” = -1, and “Much Less Likely” = -2.

Somewhat

More Likely

Somewhat

Less Likely Much Less

Likely

-2 -1 0 1 2

Maintain and enhance traffic safety

Provide a veteran's hall

Improve commuter transit svc, reducing traffic on Hwy 99

Enhance economic development

Maintain neighborhood police patrols

Improve economic development to create local jobs

Enhance major roads leading through town or to fwy

Fix potholes and maintain city streets

Increase number of police officers patrolling streets

Enhance youth crime prevention, gang programs

Attract and retain local businesses

Maintain rapid police response times

Reduce crime

0.76

0.78

0.80

0.85

0.87

0.91

0.91

0.94

0.95

0.97

1.01

1.01

1.07

Much More

Likely

Sample A

Sample B

Tie

r 2

Tie

r 1

32

Page 10

February 2016

Service Priorities (Continued)

Note: The above rating questions have been abbreviated for charting purposes, and responses were recoded to calculate mean scores:

“Much More Likely” = +2, “Somewhat More Likely” = +1, “No Effect” = 0, “Somewhat Less Likely” = -1, and “Much Less Likely” = -2.

Somewhat

More Likely

Somewhat Less

Likely Much Less Likely

-2 -1 0 1 2

Provide botanical gardens

Build a sports and soccer complex

Provide additional aquatics facilities

Provide an additional library

Provide community events

Build an animal shelter in EG to enhance adoptions

Provide cultural and performing arts facilities

Replace the senior center

Provide additional recreational facilities

Provide a children's discovery museum

Maintain and enhance pedestrian and bike trails

Enforce neighborhood code enforcement

-0.09

0.02

0.06

0.19

0.41

0.41

0.43

0.46

0.49

0.55

0.62

0.67

Much More

Likely

Sample A

Sample B

Tie

r 4

Tie

r 5

Tie

r 3

T-6

33

Page 11

February 2016

Reaction to Informational Statements

Note: The above rating questions have been abbreviated for charting purposes, and responses were recoded to calculate mean scores:

“Much More Likely” = +2, “Somewhat More Likely” = +1, and “No Effect” = 0.

0 1 2

City needs to provide more pedestrian and bike trails

Sports and soccer complex will bring visitor $ into EG

Provide EG residents with quality rec/cultural facilities

Funding is accountable, will stop when voters decide

Maintain excellent quality of life, character of community

City needs to better repair and maintain streets/roads

Measure is not a property tax, visitors will pay portion

Some of EG's roads are more than 20 years old

Help support the e-Tran commuter and local bus service

Will enhance traffic safety

Will not be applied to food purchased as groceries or Rx

It is fiscally responsible to maintain our streets, potholes

Requires indep citizens oversight, mandatory audits

If approved, police patrols & gang prevention maintained

No $ for City administrator salaries

Maintaining current level of police, vital to quality of life

By law, all funds from this measure must stay in Elk Grove

0.79

0.88

0.91

0.92

0.93

0.99

1.00

1.01

1.03

1.04

1.08

1.11

1.15

1.16

1.18

1.20

1.23

No Effect Somewhat

More Likely Much More

Likely

Sample A

Sample B

Tie

r 2

T-3

T

ier 1

34

Page 12

February 2016

www.godberesearch.com

California and Corporate Offices

1575 Old Bayshore Highway, Suite 102

Burlingame, CA 94010

Nevada Office

59 Damonte Ranch Parkway, Suite B309

Reno, NV 89521

Pacific Northwest Office

601 108th Avenue NE, Suite 1900

Bellevue, WA 98004

35