Six senior Public Administration majors presented results from a
citizen satisfaction survey to Burlington city leaders in McKinnon Hall
Tuesday, Dec. 12. The presentations capped the students’ senior seminar
project, which was sponsored by the Elon Center for Public Affairs.
The students—Alice Bridge, Angela Carlberg, Ian Hull, Brooklyn Lupari,
Lucy Samuelson and Travis Wetzel—compiled and analyzed data from a
survey of 666 Burlington residents taken in spring 2006. Citizens were
asked to rate their satisfaction on a range of city services, including
water and sewer, leaf collection, parks and recreation, street lighting
and traffic flow, and fire and police protection. Using Geographic
Information System (GIS) data to analyze the survey results, students
produced a 260-page report for city leaders and presented their
findings during Tuesday’s session. Burlington mayor Steve Ross ’73,
city manager Harold Owen, public information officer Jennifer Smith and
other city leaders attended.
The survey found a majority of residents were pleased with services
provided by the city. Parks and recreation scored especially high; 80
percent of respondents said they had visited a park and recreation
facility or participated in a program sponsored by the department.
Seventy-eight percent said they were satisfied with the services
provided by the parks and recreation department.
The survey also demonstrated that the city can work to improve
communication with citizens. Thirty-nine percent of respondents rated
the level of communication between citizens and government as good or
excellent, and only 38 percent believed the city government welcomes
citizen involvement. Citizens also expressed concerns about growth,
with 48 percent saying the city is growing too fast.
Students recommended that the city continue work to improve its Web
site and encourage citizens to turn to the site for bill payment,
information and other services.
Senior Ian Hull said the project has heightened his interest in pursuing graduate programs in GIS technology.
“Being able to implement that technology in a real world setting was
exciting,” said Hull. “It can help link the government with citizens in
a more helpful, meaningful way.”
Betty Morgan, associate professor of political science and public
administration, led the senior seminar project. She says completing the
project is an important milestone for the students.
“I can tell you that every one of these students are ready to go to
work today,” Morgan said. “They have been able to pull together
everything they have learned in the classroom and use it in a real way.
They are also prepared to write a master’s thesis or a Ph.D.
dissertation.”