The results of Ponoka’s 2019 budget survey showed that those who did respond want more recreation, better shopping and increased enforcement of town bylaws.
Town communications manager Sandra Smith presented the highlights of the survey, which drew just 122 responses, to council at its meeting Nov. 13.
The 12 question survey — made available online and on paper through various town facilities as well as at an Oct. 4 open house — was an attempt to engage residents in the decision-making process and to help council generate spending priorities in the looming budget deliberations. Only about 20 residents visited the open house.
Of the surveys filled out, the majority of responses (82) came from those age 18 to 60, while 29 were over 60 and the rest (11) were younger than 18. Meanwhile, five of the 122 surveys came from people living outside the town boundary with 12 others renting properties in town.
All but one of the surveys rated Ponoka’s quality of life as good to excellent with the community’s location, its parks/trails and the cost of living being the top three reasons behind that quality of life rating.
Improving that quality of life would best be accomplished by increasing or improving recreation facilities and having more shopping and businesses — both receiving 41 responses. Third on the list, at 27, was increasing the amount of bylaw enforcement in town.
As for top spending priorities for council to consider, maintaining and building infrastructure — including roads and a multiplex — ranked top among the responses with 65. Economic growth and development was second with 43.
Utility services was the best municipal service with 112 rating it good to excellent, while road and sidewalk maintenance, snow removal and bylaw enforcement were nearly equal in their poor to very poor ratings among the responses.
And those three services were also the ones that most responses noted as a must for increased spending.
However, most responses (84) want a combination of service cuts and tax/user fee increases to balance the budget rather than see simply cuts to services or programs or just hike taxes and fees.
Smith did note that, “the budget is not statistically representative and does not represent the opinions of all Ponoka residents.”
She did add that, despite the rather low response rate, administration feels the survey is still a worthwhile tool.
jordie.dwyer@ponokanews.com
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