3.0. SR 01-21-1997 - Laserfiche WebLink

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"good," while thirty-two percent said they were "only fair" or "poor." The source of many of the lower ratings was the feeling that staff was stretched too thinly: that the city required more staff to deal effectively and efficiently with the growing population. In view of the large number of staff interactions with residents, the City may wish to examine the judicious addition of additional personnel ......... While City government posted strong ratings from the citizens, there was a diffused feeling of alienation from government decision-making. Fifty-three percent of the residents thought they knew "a great deal" or "a fair amount', about the work of the Mayor and City Council. Evaluations of their jobs were remarkably strong: seventy-six percent approved of their work, while fifteen percent disapproved. The five-to-one approval-to-disapproval rating is particularly impressive.. But, when-qu'e~r~e~a~t~the~r-abiPlity-to-impact the way things .are run in the c?mmunity, thirty-two percent felt they could not. Numbers in the high twenty percent range are considered troublesome; above thirty indicates a serious problem. But, this feeling is certainly not directed against the current office holders and specific actions; it is more generalized in nature. Other studies have indicated that the publication of a regular ne.~_wsletter could alleviate much of these tensions. Waste management is a major issue facing many communities. Fifty-three percent of the residents of Elk River were currently separating recyc!ab!e materials from the rest of their garbage. If the City were to establish a drop-off point collection system, forty-six percent of the households would take their recyclables to those sites. A pick-up system for already separated recyclables would attract participation from a projected fifty- four percent of the households. Basing garbage hauling fees on the volume of trash generated by a household was viewed as a very effective means of encouraging recycling; eighty-six percent of the sample favored that proposal. But, if it becomes necessary, a fifty-two percent majority would support a mandatory recycling ordinance with fines for non-compliance. And, to encourage more efficiency in refuse hauling, a fifty-two percent majority would favor the designation of a group of haulers, each serving one area exclusively. The latter finding is unique among all of the studies completed to date. Residents of Elk River are clearly concerned about solid waste management and are supportive of efforts to foster more recycling activities in the community. Residents were asked about a Community Center for Elk River. When queried about facilities in a center, respondents cited, in rank order, a teen center, a senior citizens center, a community room, and a gymnasium; however, over fifty percent of the sample could not answer the question. Taken as a group, three of the facilities cited point to a need for meeting spaces within Elk River. Seventy-four percent of the residents support the construction of a Elk River Community Center; eighteen percent 7