Committee weighs biennial resident survey, communications audit and University of Findlay partnership

The Findlay Strategic Planning Committee discussed whether to pursue a biennial resident survey and how best to budget and manage a communications audit after reviewing the strategic-plan tracking sheet.

"Develop a biennial survey of residents" is listed in the plan, and committee members asked when the city last conducted a survey and whether the original consultant who led the strategic plan should be rehired. "It wouldn't be bad to use the same firm that did the strategic plan for us," one member (Speaker 1) said, citing continuity as a benefit.

Members also explored lower-cost options, including academic partnerships. A committee member (Speaker 3) said two University of Findlay departments have students who need projects like this and could deliver comparable results while providing classroom experience. "That could be a really good collaborative... Save money, give students real-world practice," the member said.

Staff (Speaker 5) confirmed previous communications work with outside consultants and offered to share available audit findings and survey feedback. Members asked staff to locate existing communications-audit results and any community-belonging survey data and to distribute them to the committee.

Next steps: staff were asked to (1) identify any existing communications-audit reports and resident survey results, (2) assess cost and timeline options for a biennial survey (consultant vs. university partnership), and (3) bring a recommendation to the committee at the next meeting.