HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommunity Goals and Value Profiles - Mercer Survey— .MB MEI
MERCER
Management Consulting
Town of Lexington Strategic Market Research:
Goals and Values Profile of The Community
Prepared for.
Town of Lexington
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Town of Lexington Strategic Market Research:
Goals and Values Profile of The Community
Prepared for.
Town of Lexington
Prepared by:
Mercer Management Consulting, Inc.
33 Hayden Avenue
Lexington, MA 02173
(617) 861-7350
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Table of Contents
Overview
Snapshot of Lexington
Appendix
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)110- Overview
Snapshot of Lexington
Appendix
Introduction
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In March 1993, town meeting drafted an Article calling for a town -wide
strategic plan. To this end, the Board of Selection began a series of town
conversations to understand the collective attitudes of the residents of
Lexington. To further this process, the Town of Lexington approached
Mercer Management Consulting to help conduct market research exploring
what the community values as "guiding principles and longterm objectives
for the town were. Mercer agreed to donate its expertise to the town and
has conducted focus groups and a survey, to provide the Selectmen a
"snapshot" of residents' core values.
• In March 1994, Mercer conducted four (4) focus groups with Lexington residents. The results of
the groups are reported elsewhere.
• This report summarizes the main aspects of a quantitative survey and is the opportunity for
Mercer to deliver to Lexington the raw data for the survey.
Charge from
town meeting
Board of
Selectmen
Town
Conversations
Focus
Groups
Strategic
Plan
Community
Survey
Olfice/DaielGrouprGrent/Protect Number/Protect Description FoldeiDocumenl Name
Mercer Management Consulting Page 4
Major Conclusions
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In general, the residents of Lexington have strong positive feelings about
the Town.
• 76% rate its public schools as excellent
• 82% say its a great and safe community
• Most consider it well-managed (57%), well-maintained (75%), the right size (61%), and right
balance between open space and further development
People's complaints about Lexington are consistent, too: it is
characterized as an expensive town (47%) with too much traffic (19%) and
too few restaurants and shops (15%).
Although residents of Lexington are united by strong positive feelings
about the town, they do differ in their long term attitudes and in their
consideration of services and their tax burden.
A complete summary of the top -line results is contained in the Appendix.
Otlice/DateJGroupiCtientIProtect Number/Protect Description Folder)Document Name
Mercer Management ConsuNtng Page 5
Public Opinion Survey Process
Mercer and the Town of Lexington agreed to work jointly to conduct a
survey of the Town's residents. Members of the Board of Selectmen, Town
Manager's office, School Board, and Planning Board participated in this
process.
Mercer
Drafted survey
Redrafted questionnaire
Delivered clean draft to Town
Provided sampling plan and recommendations
about survey administration
Cleaned, coded, and keypunched data
Analyzed data
Reported findings
441*
Lexington
Reviewed and emended draft
Approved survey
Town Manager reproduced questionnaire,
mailed it out to 1,400 randomly selected
households, collected responses, delivered final
set of questionnaires during last week of
September
OBicarDate/Group1ClienePro,ect NumbeoPro,ect Description FolderiDocument Name
Mercer Management Consulting
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Public Opinion Survey Method
395 households completed and returned the questionnaire that was sent to
them in the mail.
Town
Conversations
Focus
Groups
Community
Survey
We are here
Strategic
Planning
• In late April and May, Mercer drafted a survey which various members of official town bodies
reviewed, revised and approved.
• Final survey was approved in early June.
• Town manager randomly selected 1400 households to which to send a questionnaire.
• Questionnaire was mailed out in early July and responses collected until the third week of
September.
• Residents' anonymity was guaranteed and their anonymity preserved in the analysis.
• Results have been compiled and are ready for the town to own.
Oltir:elDate&Group?Client/Project NunberIProleci Desc peon FolderlDocument Name
Mercer Management Consulting Page 7
Public Opinion Survey Method Considerations
The overall response rate to the mail questionnaire was about 30%. Three
hundred and ninety five (395) of 1,400 returned completed surveys by the
September 22nd cut-off date.
• Sampling plan was a simple random sample of households.
• 1,400 households were chosen with the expectation of receiving 400 completed, returned
surveys.
• Mercer recommended the questionnaire be mailed out before the end of school year, with a
letter from the Board of Selectmen explaining its purpose. However, budget constraints and the
demands of town operations prevented these two steps from happening. None -the -less, the
response rate to this questionnaire is within the expected range for the industry.
011icelDale/Group/Client/Projecl Number/Pro4ec1 Description FoIdeUOocumenl Name
Mercer Management Consulting Page 8
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Analytic Approach
In this report, Mercer presents how the people of Lexington naturally
cluster and form segments, based on their stated core values and long
term goals for Lexington.
• The segmentation is based on a procedure which identifies themes or patterns in people's
responses (using multiple correspondence analysis) and then hierarchically organizes people by
these themes (using a standard top-down clustering method).
• The segmentation is a robust technique that produces stable groupings
• Anyone wanting a more detailed description of the analytic process should contact Tony
Siesfeld at Mercer Management Consulting.
Office/Dale/ rouprGrenUUProlect NumborIProlect Description Folder/Document Name
Mercer Management Cansulfing Page 9
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Overview
Snapshot of Lexington
0000110004;
Appendix
two
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Segmentation Solution
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Based on stated Tong -term goals and core values, the people of Lexington
group into six natural segments'.
' "Afford/Witty first."
Lexington needs to assist those who are no longer
able to afford living here by cutting taxes, building
more affordable houses, and helping those who
struggle. It would be okay for Lexington 10 sell some
of its land to pay for critical services.
"Lexington's not working well."
Lexington is too expensive. Those who run town
functions are not responsive to the citizens and do
not work well together. The town should be more
affordable and preserve its open spaces. It must
reduce its taxes.
•
"Well-run, glad I'm here."
Everything about Lexington is good, but could be
better. It should show interest in the education of its
children and preserve and maintain its open space.
Promote cultural and economic diversity. Do not
raise taxes.
Percentages are unweighted.
Very Price
Sensitive
Cost
Concerned/
Value Critical
Service
Sensitive
\ 10°0
19%
Most Service
Sensitive
urrent Cost ce _ Good
Current
Allocation Okay
"Education first."
Invest in education, Lexington's schools are great!;
and then concentrate on making Lexington more
affordable. Reduce cost of doing business first,
promote revenue second, raise taxes as a last resort.
F 1 love Lexington."
The schools are excellent. Invest in education,
preserve open space; maintain current services no
matter what the cost. It is okay to raise taxes to
preserve what Lexington offers today.
"Stay the course."
Keep open spaces, but don't add any. Continue to
maintain education, don't expand educational
services. Don't raise taxes
OfI ce/DaleJGrouplC'gMJProlecl NumbeIJProlect Desrarplion Folder/Dacumenl Name
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Guiding Principles by Segment
Maintaining its open spaces and its services consistently rank second and
third in importance for each segment. Education and affordability take
turns being the most important long-term goals for the segments.
Lexington...
...should invest in public education of its
children.
...open spaces should be preserved and
undiminished.
I...has to be more affordable.
Town
Average
Affordability
First
Endorse'
Avg.
Ranke
Lexington's
Not Working
Weil
SEGMENTS
Well-run,
Glad I'm Here
Endorse Avg.
...should promote cultural and
economic diversity.
...has to continue same level of services it
currently does, especially public safety.
75%
71%
48%
28%
2.0
2.8
3.3
4.5
61% 3.0
Rank
41% 3.1
49% 2.9
75%
38%
1.5
3.4
55% 2.7
Endorse
49%
77%
65%
Avg.
Rank
2.6
2.4
2.78
4.6
Endorse Avg.
Rank
94% 1.5
83% 2.1
64% 2.5
39% 3.4
Stay The
Course
Endorse
74%
72%
44%
I Love Education
Lexington First
Avg. Endorse Avg.
Rank flank
Endorse
Avg
Rank
2.1 92% 1.3 98% 1.5
3.0 1 80% • 2.3 65% 3.5
3.9 16% 4.4 41% 4.0
5.1 •t 22% 5-1 280 4.6
62% 2.8 7616 2.3 63" a 3.0 59% 3.1 56% 3.5
...should maintain its current level of services 23% 4.7 20% 4.3 10% 5.4 43% 3.4 13`� 5.0 2B 4.4 3n. 4.5
no matter what it costs.
4 on 4 -point stale where 1=describes my posrpon not at all and 4=describes my post on very wel Average rank m importance, where I=top ranked
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Attitude Snap Shot of Segments
Although a number of attitudes distinguish segments, there are also many
that unite Lexington. People tend to agree that the town is culturally,
though not economically, diverse, that it has a good public library, that it is
a good and safe place to live, and that it offers plenty of recreational
opportunities for all its citizens.
Lexington's public schools are excellent.
Lexington Is very expensive to live in.
There are too many people and cormnitt
'mind in running Lexington.
The various town committees end
boards do not work well together.
The quality of public education In
Lexington is declining.
Lexington has a good mix of affordable
housing.
Top
Bottom
Top
Top
Bottom
Top
Bottom
Top
Bottom
Top
Bottom
DISTINGUISHING ATTITUDES'
Town Affordability
Average First
34% 30%
2% 2%
44%
1%
12%
13%
8°l0
7%
67%
0%
7%
4%
5%
7%
14% 9%
10% 14%
12%
Lexington's Well-run, l Stay The I Love Education
Not WorkingI Glad I'm Here Course Lexington First
Well -- -._.
25% 1 60% 28% 38% 37%
2% 0% 1% 0% 4°/0
52%
0%
53% 43% 30% 30%
3% 0% 0% 1%
48% 48% 4% 6% 0%
8% 8% 14% 16% 19%
31%
4%
30%
17%
31% 3% 2% 1%
4% # 3% 6% 6%
30% 10% 7% 19%
• 17% ! 4% 6% 6%
5% 29% 29% 8% 5% 11°�
15% 250 13% 1390 16'c 4Gr. 13'.:
' Based on lop and bottom box scores, where lop bo S1 e , 5p me.rrs .f*, r aTee and bonom oo= rr e rr means st:ongry drsa,'ee Dr.r, mole c:tr.toes mar =ar by segment ale reported
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Demographic Descriptions of the Segments
Segments do differ demographically, with those segments given highest
priority to education having the highest concentration of children.
Willingness to consider increased taxation as a means of maintaining
services is related to employment. Segments do not really distinguish
themselves by education levels.
Town
Average
43%
36%
26%
Age Trends
Lexington's Staythe
Affordability ty Not WeGlad WePm Here Course
Welle
45%
19% 27°
0% 16%
55-74 45-74
(67%) (50%)
Currently Married/Living with Other
Children at Home
= Big Difference
51%
66% 82%
23%
42%
37%
32%
I Love Education
Lexington First
44% 4.5%
413% 42`.ry
28% 429
45-54 (30%) 35-54 35-54 35-54
75+ (22%) (55%) (53%) (73%)
63%
BO% 76% 841
41% 570 57% 74%
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Demographic Descriptions of Segments (Continued)
Town
Average
Children j Lexington School'
Children Ever In Lexington School
[ Education:
College Graduate
Graduate School
AA -1 ...-dmiolildirl•MA.Med
64%
Affordability
First
21%
Lexington's Well-run, Stay the I Love Education
Not Well Working Glad I'm Here Course Lexington First
44%
,36% 24%
39% 41%
Employed Outside the House Full -Time 33% 5° 1
Employed Outside the House Part -Time 31% 32% 39%
t Based on children al home.
= Big Difference
4796
62% 69%
27% 40%
4391 413%
21% 36%
80% 73%
80% 80%
.. i
2 35%
49%
}
46% 34%
26%
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Overview
Snapshot of Lexington
Appendix
1 _ 1
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Your opinion counts!
To serve its people and allocate its resources better, the Town of
Lexington has begun the process of developing a strategic plan for
Lexington's future.
To develop this strategic plan, the town needs to determine what the
community holds as its set of guiding principles and long term
objectives for the town. In its ongoing effort to identify these core
values and long term goals, the town is sending this questionnaire to
a randomly selected group of residents.
Are you a legal resident of Lexington? Yes ❑ 1 No ❑ 2
Are you at least 18 years old? Yes ❑ f No ❑
If you answer "yes" to both of these questions, please take
10-15 minutes to fill in this questionnaire.
If you answer "no" to either question, please let some one in
the household who is both a resident of Lexington and at
least 18 years old complete this questionnaire.
Please let the opinions you record be your own, rather than
trying to represent your entire household's point of view.
Thank you very much.
All your responses will be treated confidentially. Results will be
reported by groups or in total only.
18
19
(1-5)
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r•
1. The following is a list of statements, some positive and some negative, which you may or
may not think describe Lexington. Please read the list of statements and indicate whether
and how strongly you agree and disagree with each statement.
(Circle one response for each Nem belott }
Strongly Strongly
Agree Disagree
a. Lexington is a culturally diverse community
28% 36% 26% 7% 2%
b. Lexington's public schools are excellent.
34 42 17 5 2
c. Lexington is a very expensive town to live in.
44 33 19 3 1
d. Lexington is economically diverse.
6 18 35 34 7
e. There are too many people and committees involved in running 12 11 43 21 13
Lexington.
f. Lexington has done a poor job managing the commercial
development of town center.
9 15 26 33 12
g. Lexington has a good public library.
71 23 4 2 1
h. The various town committees and boards do not work well
together.
8 14 51 20 7
i. The quality of public education in Lexington is declining. 14 27 28 20 10
j. Lexington has too few recreational opportunities for teenagers
and young adults.
9 16 25 28 23
k. Lexington town officials are not very responsive to citizen's
concerns.
7 15 36 29 13
1. Lexington has inadequate public transportation between it and
other communities. 12 22 27 23 15
m. The town should develop a strategic plan for managing ongoing
growth and spending in Lexington. 50 33 12 2 2
n. Lexington has the right number of residences within its borders. 5
30 31
5
3
o. Lexington has a good mix of affordable housing.
12
18
29
27
15
p. The Lexington public schools are well-managed.
14 34 30 15 8
q. The streets and public buildings are well-maintained.
r. Lexington has not capitalized on its historic heritage as well as
25 50 18 5 1
other communities, such as Salem and Concord, have. 16 22 23 26 12
s. Lexington is a quiet and safe community.
35 47 15 4 1
t. Lexington school officials are not very responsive to citizen's 10 13 39 24 13
concerns.
u. Lexington has too few services and opportunities for its senior
citizens.
4 11 39 27 20
v. Lexington's municipal services are well-managed. 17 40 37 5 2
w. I am not getting good value for my tax dollar.
10 18 26 29 17
x. Lexington has adequate public transportation within its borders. 27 33 25 9 5
If you have any additional thoughts or comments about Lexington you wish to add, please write them
on the back of any of the pages of this questionnaire. 00-13)
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
9
9
9
9
9
0
2. In your opinion, what are the three best aspects of living in Lexington? (Multiple 134-393)
responses allowed)
. The schools/quality of education 59%
Its convenence to Boston/location 38
Public safety (e.g.. police) 34
Attractiveness/charm 31
3.
3. In your opinion, what are the three least desirable aspects of living in Lexington?
1. Taxes 30%
Traffic 19
2. Town government 18
Cost of living 17
3.
4f1-45
4. In your opinion, what are the three things Lexington should try hardest to improve? (46.51)
1. Improve schools 59%
Traffic control/parking 38
2. Reduce taxes 34
Business development 31
3
5. To develop a sensible long-term plan for managing the town, Lexington needs to state
what its guiding principles will be for making decisions about development, allocation
of money and reduction of services, if necessary.
In your own words, what do you think should be the guiding principles for Lexington?
Invest in eduction 59%
Better financial management 38
(52-571
Maintain current level of services 34
Preserve open spaces 31
3
6. The following have been put forth as guiding principles. How well do each of these positions
represent your own?
(Circle one response for
each item below)
Very Somewhat Not too Not at
Well Well Well all Well
a. Lexington should invest in the public education of its children. 75% 20% 4% 2%
b. Lexington's open spaces should be preserved and undiminished.
71 25 4 1
c. Lexington has to be more affordable to its residents, especially for 48 32 14 7
those who grow up here and for those who have lived here and are now
living on a fixed or reduced income.
d. Lexington should promote greater cultural and economic diversity 28 34 27 11
among its citizens.
e. Lexington has to continue to offer the same level of services that it 61 33 5 1
currently does, especially its public safety and public works services.
f. Lexington should maintain its current level of services no matter what 23 40 22 16
it costs
(58-63)
7. Please rank the following items from most (1) to least (7) important. Please include your own
statement from question 5.
Rank
Please circle appropriate number;
Most Least
Important Important
a. Lexington should invest in the public education of its children. 51% 21% 13% 10% 13% 3% 1%
b. Lexington's open spaces should be preserved and 29 20 23 14 7 6 2
undiminished.
c. Lexington has to be more affordable to its residents, especially 24 15 19 12 13 9 7
for those who grow up here and for those who have lived here
and are now living on a fixed or reduced income.
d. Lexington should promote greater cultural and economic
diversity among its citizens.
8 10 13 17 15 20 17
e. Lexington has to continue to offer the same level of services
that it currently does, especially its public safety and public
works services.
22 22 21 15 12 7 1
f. Lexington should maintain its current level of services no
matter what it costs.
7 9 14 15 15 17 23
(64-70)
4
C
8. The following represent a hypothetical set of trade-offs the town of Lexington might have to
make in the future. For each of these trade-offs, please indicate what choice you would want
the town to make, if it was faced with these two particular choices.
a. Build additional, affordable
housing
22%
or Maintain current amount of open
space in town.
72%
(Check if
not sure)
7%
b. Devote money to funding of
public schools
57
or Devote money to public safety and
public works services.
30
14
c. Devote more public money
towards specialized classes in
the Lexington Public Schools
22
or Charge a fee for these specialized
classes.
63
15
d. Reduce current level of
services to keep taxes within
Proposition 2'/2 limits
41
or Maintain current levels of town
services at the cost of increased
taxes.
48
11
e. Increase current level of
services at a cost of increased
taxes
18
or Maintain current levels of town
services and keep within
Proposition 21/2 limits.
71
11
f. Promote economic
development by attracting new
white collar industries or
businesses to town
76
or Promote development by relaxing
zoning regulations to allow for
small commercial developments in
some Lexington neighborhoods.
14
11
g. Sell some of Lexington's land
to pay for critical services
30
or
Make cuts in critical services.
39
31
h. Buy more land for
conservation purposes
22
or Maintain current amount of open
space in Lexington.
76
3
i. Reduce current level of
services to keep taxes at
Proposition 21/2 limits
70
or Reduce current level of services to
keep taxes below Proposition 2h12
limits.
13 16
(71-79)
End card 01
dup (1-5)
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6-7
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9
9. In the future, Lexington may have to do more with less. Below is a list of ideas residents
recently suggested. Please indicate, in your opinion, the degree to which you would support
these ideas if the town attempted to implement them.
(Circle one number for each item below)
Strongly
Support
Strongly
oppose
a. Reward employees with cash incentives if they suggest successful 38% 28% 17% 6% 10%
ways of making their own office, department, or group function
more efficiently and economically.
b. Team up with neighboring communities to negotiate better deals 72 20 5 1 2
and lower costs for services such as garbage collection or road
repair.
c. Change to a fee-for-service for services such as refuse pick-up, 9 14 23 16 35
recycling and hazardous waste disposal.
d. Make all town and school departments and services do more with 28 23 30 11 8
less rather then eliminate specific departments or services.
e. Start a fund to assist those who are unable to pay their full tax bill 11 18 28 20 24
f. Hire a business development officer to encourage new businesses
to come to Lexington.
13 20 30 17 20
g. Establish an office to coordinate volunteer, community services 24 28 22 13 12
programs.
h. Start a fund which Lexington could use to pay for its service and 30 30 22 9 9
into which residents could make tax-deductable contributions.
i. Eliminate specific services or departments. (Please indicate which 22 5 28 21 24
one(s) you would suggest select school services. Lexpress
.)
(8-161
10. If Lexington did have to cut services, or change its operating philosophy, what cuts or changes
would you find acceptable? That is, are there services or functions now offered by Lexington
that you could do without? (17-22)
Lexpress service 13%
Select school services 10
Recreation 6
11. Please describe any additional suggestions you might have for how Lexington might
become a better place to live:
Improve schools 8%
(23-28)
Increase development 6
More affordable housing 4
6