City staff told the Community Diversity and Engagement Committee July 3 that the city is in the vendor-selection stage for a citywide community survey and that the committee will be able to submit questions for possible inclusion.

Adam Brown, the city manager, told the committee the city is “still in vendor selection” for the planned survey and that the selection and any contract would have to go through the city council approval process. Brown said the city expects the contracting process to take about a month and that staff “would probably have that rolling forward in the next month or two.”

Tim (staff member) summarized the likely structure: the survey will use a standard national questionnaire so Keizer’s data can be compared with similar municipalities, and the city will be able to add a set of supplemental questions. Tim said there would likely be “a handful, 20 to 30 questions somewhere in that range” that the city could include in addition to the national items; he cautioned the committee to consider response rates and advised prioritizing those additions. Tim also said he would “anticipate that we have the results or the survey and the process, before the end of the calendar year.”

The committee agreed this work is a longer-term data effort: members placed review of the city demographic packet and the drafting of potential survey questions on the short-term agenda, with a plan to return in about three months to discuss specific questions the committee would prioritize.

Ending: Committee members will review the demographic packet provided by staff, identify missing data needs, and prepare suggested survey questions for staff to consider during the vendor and contract process.