Agenda - Parks and Recreation Commission - 01/08/2015

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The National Citizen SurveyT" Appendix B: Benchmark Comparisons Comparison Dat< NRC's database of comparative resident opinion is comprised of resident perspectives gathered in surveys from over 500 communities whose residents evaluated the same kinds of topics on The National Citizen SurveyTM. The comparison evaluations are from the most recent survey completed in each community; most communities conduct surveys every year or in alternating years. N RC adds the latest results quickly upon survey completion, keeping the benchmark data fresh and relevant. The communities in the database represent a wide geographic and population range. The City of Ramsey chose to have comparisons made to the entire database and a subset of similar jurisdictions from the database of communities in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin of population 10,000 to 74,999. meaning that the average rating given by Ramsey residents is statistically similar to or different (greater or lesser) than the benchmark. More extreme differences are noted as "much higher" or "much lower." 17 I Benchmark Database Characteristics ' nterpreting the ResultE Region Percent Ratings are compared when there are at least five communities in which a New England 3% similar question was asked. Where comparisons are available, four columns Middle Atlantic 5% are provided in the table. The first column is Ramsey's "percent positive." East North Central 15% The percent positive is the combination of the top two most positive response West North Central 13% options (i.e., "excellent" and "good," "very safe" and "somewhat safe," South Atlantic 22% "essential" and "very important," etc.), or, in the case of resident East South Central 3% behaviors/ participation, the percent positive represents the proportion of West South Central 7% respondents indicating "yes" or participating in an activity at least once a Mountain 16% month. The second column is the rank assigned to Ramsey's rating among Pacific 16% communities where a similar question was asked. The third column is the Population cent I number of communitiesthat asked asimilar question. Thefinal column Less than 10,000 10% shows the comparison of Ramsey's rating to the benchmark. 10,000 to 24,999 22% 25,000 to 49,999 23% 1 n that final column, Ramsey's results are noted as being "higher" than the 50,000 to 99,999 22% benchmark, "lower" than the benchmark or "similar" to the benchmark, 100,000 or more 23% meaning that the average rating given by Ramsey residents is statistically similar to or different (greater or lesser) than the benchmark. More extreme differences are noted as "much higher" or "much lower." 17