Wrentham Study Committee Results: Town Services Receive High Approval Rating

(FROM THE WRENTHAM TOWN GOVERNMENT STUDY COMMITTEE)

The Wrentham Town Government Study Committee has received the results of a Citizen Survey that was conducted as part of the TGSC’s charge to evaluate the effectiveness of the Town’s organizational structure and management systems. 

The survey was conducted Nov. 7-19, 2012.  Analysis of the surveys was provided by Worcester’s Clark University Masters of Public Administration program under the direction Dr. Susan Yi-Millette.

Surveys were mailed to 4,503 Wrentham residences.  Citizens had the option of completing the survey via an on line service set up by Clark University, or they could return the mailed hard copy to drop boxes set up around Wrentham. The survey was set up in five sections:

• Quality of Life in Wrentham Questions
• Town Services Questions
• Communication Questions
• Forms of Government Questions
• Demographic Questions

 A total of 414 citizens completed the survey, a return rate of 9.2-people.Highlights of the analysis include:

 Quality of Life

• 95% or respondents rated the overall quality of life in Wrentham as good (54%) or excellent (41%)

 Town Services

• 87% of respondents said that the customer services skills of Town Employees was satisfactory or better
• The highest marks for customer satisfaction with departments and boards were received by public safety and administrative departments. Marks were less high for regulatory departments.

 Communication

• 82.5% of respondents said that they use the internet extensively and with ease
• 71% or respondents said that they would sign up for e-mail notifications of important town happenings
• In response to the question “what is your primary source of information about Wrentham”, respondents’ top answers were:  Country Gazette, Sun Chronicle, Town Website, WrenthamTimes.com, WrenthamPatch.com, and Cable Access Channel 8.

 Government

• 12.8% of respondents said that they attend Town Meeting regularly.  52.6% said they attend when important to them/occasionally.  52.6% said they rarely or never attend.

• 73% of respondents said that they thought Town Meeting was an effective form of government.  90% said that they thought that the current date of the Annual Town Meeting (2^nd Monday in June) was convenient to them.

Demographics

• 82% of respondents are 45 years old or older
• 99.7% or respondents are registered voters
• 55.4% of respondents have lived in Wrentham 20 years or  more

 The full Report can be found on line athttp://wrentham.ma.us/wrentham-ma-board-of-selectmen/tgsc/111-town-departments/town-government-study-committee-category/605-tgsc-reports-and-recommendations