County releases results of resident survey

Board mostly encouraged by answers given

The Yuma County Board of Supervisors went over the results of its latest resident survey during its meeting Wednesday.

They were mostly encouraged by the answers from the 1,950 respondents to the online survey, but were a bit dismayed that only 5 percent said they lived in an unincorporated area.

Eighty-five percent of the participants said they lived in the city of Yuma, and another 10 percent came from San Luis, Somerton and Wellton. The other five percent said they lived in the unincorporated communities of the Foothills, Tacna, Gadsden or Martinez Lake.

But another question asking respondents if they live within city or town limits came up with a different number, with 34 percent answering they did not live within any municipality.

Board Chairman and District 4 Supervisor Tony Reyes said he was disappointed in the level of participation from county residents.

“But we made it available in English, available in Spanish, we made it available everywhere, so it’s just a matter of getting a better response and focusing on those areas that didn’t respond as well,” he said.

Deputy County Administrator Paul Melcher said social media proved to be a good driver of traffic for the survey, which was online from the beginning of February through the end of March.

“A lot of the comments were related to getting out the message of what the county does, communicating more effectively on

county services, that was a common theme among all of the departments,” he said.

Melcher said 9 percent of respondents to one question said they “always” trust a county official to do what’s in the best interest of the public, with another 49 percent saying they usually did.

When compared to a similar survey done five years ago, “in 2018 you see an increase of 9 and 49 percent, respectively, for always and usually doing what’s in the best interest of the public,” Melcher said.

The percentage saying they are “usually” or “always” satisfied in other areas include:

• 66 percent for overall quality of life.

• 59 percent for overall quality of services provided.

• 57 percent for overall image of the county.

• 49 percent for how the county manages growth.

Most respondents put a high priority on road maintenance, with the Public Works Department getting the most votes for the area that should get the most emphasis over the next five years, followed by the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office and the county Department of Development Services.

Melcher said, “We’re going to take this and we’ve already started the discussion of how we can use this to measure government performance, effectively reallocate funding to meet residents’ needs and measure transient residents’ opinion.”

Demographically, 82 percent of the participants said they lived in the county year-round, and 53 percent had been here at least 15 years. Twentyone surveys were taken in Spanish, with the rest in English.

Women made up 66 percent of the survey respondents, and half were age 55 or older. Twenty-two percent said they are county employees.

All Yuma County residents receive some county services, particularly through the courts, county maintained roads, library system and health district.

But those living in unincorporated areas must turn to the sheriff’s office, county development services and other county offices for protection, regulation and other decisions significant to their lives.

They also have to make their own arrangements for fire protection, water and sewer and other services that would usually be provided by a city or town, along with higher taxes.

On Wednesday, the board also:

• Sold a county-owned excess property at 12105 S. Renee Ave. in the Foothills for $28,000, to a single bidder at a public auction.

• Held a public hearing and voted to establish the Tierra Mesa Estates 2,7,8 & 9 Street Lighting District.

• Cancelled the Nov. 6 elections for numerous school districts and other government entities that do not have enough candidates to require voters to choose a winner.

• Recommended state liquor board approval for liquor licenses for Sundance RV Resort, 13502 E. Interstate 8 Frontage Road, and Jimmie K’s Diner, 11375 S. Foothills Blvd.

• Declared miscellaneous county items and property as surplus and setting an online auction for Oct. 5-19.