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Regular City Council Meeting Monday,January 13, 2014 Page 18 mats; and asked that the City Council hold a free-flowing discussion before providing direction to staff. Gary Bowman, Communications Manager Mr. Bowman briefly reviewed the RCA, including background on the last survey completed three years ago; controversy surrounding the last survey; and his re- search of neighboring communities providing no clear preference. Mr. Bowman noted that some communities (e.g. Woodbury) consistently had a two-year cycle to provide constant measurement; some a three-year cycle (e.g. Shoreview) and some using a different company and format providing different aspects (e.g. New Brighton). Mr. Bowman noted that desire by the City Council and staff for constant citizen input and whether services were serving residents as appropriate. Mr. Bowman questioned if the City Council also wanted to make a commitment to use a con- sistent and cyclical approach over a period of time, using the same company with the same set of core questions; or use another option. Mr. Bowman opined that there were biases inherent in either and both approaches, whether phone or writ- ten surveys, and reviewed some of advantages and/or disadvantages with those options. Mr. Bowman noted that phone surveys typically took longer, with the City of Shoreview's most recent survey estimated to take 42 minutes; which could serve to skew results if citizens didn't commit to the time to complete the phone survey. Mr. Bowman briefly reviewed those two companies with sample formats provid- ed in the RCA, including the Morris Leatherman Company, formally Decision Resources, reborn into this current firm and employing the same survey tactics and methodologies along with much of the same personnel as Decision Re- sources. Mr. Bowman noted that the Cities of Shoreview, Woodbury, and Golden Valley had recently used the services of this firm. Mr. Bowman advised that the other survey sample and firm researched by staff was National Research Center, used most recently by the City of New Brighton; and representing a larger firm, well-regarded and well-known for their national surveys. Mr. Bowman advised that this firm was based in Boulder, CO. Mr. Bowman opined that it was his impression that either firm could design a sur- vey for the City of Roseville that would provide the data needed, and remain within or under the $15,000 budget line item allotted for a community survey. Mr. Bowman sought City Council feedback and their desire moving forward with a community survey in 2014. At the request of Councilmember Willmus, Mr. Bowman advised that he had tak- en the opportunity to review the 1998 survey of 180 questions done by Decision Resources for the City of Roseville; and thought that phone survey had been ap-