If your phone rings, please pick it up and let them know what you think. They value your opinion in making Miami Beach a better place to live, work and play. In an effort to make further improvements to your city, the City of Miami Beach will once again be conducting a citywide opinion survey of residents and businesses later this month.
“The best way for government to be responsive to its citizens is to hear, directly from the citizens, what they think about the City, how we are meeting their needs and what we can do better,” said Kathie Brooks, director, Office of Budget and Performance Improvement. The goal of the survey is to identify the City’s key strengths and to develop recommendations for improving the public’s satisfaction with their city government and their quality of life.
The community surveys conducted in early 2005 and 2007 provided insight into areas that Miami Beach residents and businesses felt their municipal government should focus on and improve further. The information was used to develop and update the City of Miami Beach Strategic Plan that sets measurable outcomes for the City to achieve, and that reflects community priorities and requested improvements in these areas.
The survey will be conducted for the City by the Center for Research & Public Policy (CRPP). Established in 1979, CRPP is a full-service research and public policy consulting firm. CRPP has conducted 3.5 million surveys and more than 3.500 focus groups in support of research, including Coral Springs, Florida, Lauderdale Lakes, Florida; Alexandria, Virginia; Houston, Texas; Austin, Texas; Pinehurst, North Carolina; and many others. To ensure the City of Miami Beach receives maximum value and utilization of study results, the survey will be statistically valid, administered to 2,000 residential units (in five regions) and 500 business leaders (in three regions).
Any questions about the survey can be directed to the City’s Answer Center at 305.604.CITY (2489). To view the results from the 2005 and 2007 community surveys, go to www.miamibeachfl.gov, click on Learn About, Excellence Model.
THEY ASKED – WE ANSWERED
Survey results help the City of Miami Beach prioritize the use of resources so that there is an increased value for the value of taxes paid. Some examples of improvements the City of Miami Beach has implemented as a response to previous community surveys include:
Cleanliness, Particularly in Business Areas
The City dramatically increased the frequency of street cleaning citywide, and especially in business areas — and we are seeing results. Our quantitative assessment rating of the cleanliness of our streets has improved significantly.
Increase the Availability of Family-friendly Cultural Activities
The City added an arts, music and movies in the parks series, the 2007 Sleepless Night event, and new visual and performing arts programs at recreation centers.
Storm Drainage
The City responded to complaints with a capital improvement program that is addressing storm drainage. An example of a recent project: The Sunset Harbor Stormwater Improvements Project included the installation of two stormwater injection wells. The project installed tidal flexible valves at the stormwater outfalls on Biscayne Bay.
Capital Improvements
While recent capital improvements were highly rated in the last survey, the City’s priority is to continue the City’s capital improvement program. Recently completed projects and projects nearing completion include Normandy Shores Golf Club, South Pointe Park, North Beach Recreational Corridor, Fairway Park Pavilion, Fire Station 2 & Emergency Operations Center, and Belle Isle Park. In addition, other neighborhood improvements are underway.
Increase Police Visibility in Neighborhoods
Implemented a contacts program to inform residents and businesses of crime prevention strategies and services.
Pace of New Construction/Development
The City Commission passed several ordinances that address construction and development throughout Miami Beach, including designation of historic districts and properties, height reductions in the Flamingo District, reconstruction of demolished properties, guidelines and review requirements for structures 50,000 sq. ft. and over, etc.
Amount of Information Received from the City
The City expanded communications about City programs, services and events, such as the launching of the nationally award-winning MB magazine distributed to residents, CityPage published bi-weekly, E-news, and MBTV-77’s CityVision, MB Radio 1670AM and other original programming.
