Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity of Sandpoint Survey (1)This survey was created on Zoho Survey, an online survey tool. Create unlimited surveys for free on www.zoho.com/survey City of Sandpoint Survey Welcome Message The City of Sandpoint is moving forward with a necessary Wastewater Treatment Facility Reconstruction Project. Our current facility, originally built in the 1950s using clarifiers from the Farragut Naval Station, is beyond its planned and useful life and can no longer reliably meet state and federal regulatory standards. This reconstruction project is essential for protecting public health, safeguarding our environment, and maintaining compliance with mandated water quality requirements. Your input is a vital part of this process. As the City considers placing a bond measure on the November ballot, we want to hear from you. Community feedback will guide City Council’s decisions on how to move forward in the most sustainable and responsible way. If approved by voters, a bond allows the City to finance this replacement at lower overall costs, potentially limiting significant impacts on monthly utility rates. Without bond funding, the City must fund the replacement directly from utility rates, likely resulting in much higher monthly bills for residents. In parallel, the City is committed to pursuing all available state and federal grants and low-interest loans to reduce the amount that must be borrowed. However, some level of local funding will still be required to complete the project. Please complete this brief survey to share your feedback. Thank you, Mayor Jeremy Grimm This survey was created on Zoho Survey, an online survey tool. Create unlimited surveys for free on www.zoho.com/survey Section 1: Awareness and Perception How would you rate your awareness of the City's need to fully replace its wastewater treatment facility? Highly Aware Somewhat Aware Not Aware How important do you believe it is to replace the City's aging wastewater treatment facility to protect public health and the Pend Oreille River? Very Important Important Neutral Not Important Not at all Important What do you perceive as the biggest challenges associated with replacing our City’s wastewater treatment facility? (Select all that apply) Cost of the replacement project Compliance with environmental regulations Financial impact on residents (monthly utility bills) Minimizing disruptions to residents Ensuring long-term reliability and safety Other (Please specify) This survey was created on Zoho Survey, an online survey tool. Create unlimited surveys for free on www.zoho.com/survey Section 2: Support for Wastewater Treatment Facility Replacement The City must replace its aging wastewater treatment facility to meet regulatory standards and safely manage community wastewater flows. The full replacement will include new infrastructure, modernized treatment technology, improved environmental protection, and long-term system reliability. The estimated total cost to replace the facility is approximately $130 million. Due to this substantial cost, the City may pursue an initial phase covering the most critical needs, estimated at approximately $80 million, with a second phase occurring at a later date. Without bond funding or other financing, the City would still be required to replace the aging wastewater treatment plant to meet environmental regulations. If the project is delayed, this could lead to: ● State or federal fines for non-compliance ● Significant increases in monthly sewer rates to fund emergency repairs or mandated upgrades without bond financing ● Higher future costs due to inflation and further infrastructure deterioration Would you support a bond measure on the November ballot to fund the first critical phase ($80 million) of the Wastewater Treatment Facility Replacement Project? Strongly Support Somewhat Support Neutral Somewhat Oppose Strongly Oppose Would you support a bond measure on the November ballot to fund the entire Wastewater Treatment Facility Replacement Project ($130 million), fully addressing all regulatory compliance and long-term reliability needs? Strongly Support Somewhat Support Neutral Somewhat Oppose Strongly Oppose This survey was created on Zoho Survey, an online survey tool. Create unlimited surveys for free on www.zoho.com/survey Section 3: Financial Considerations Important Financial Context: The City has two primary ways to fund this mandatory replacement: Option 1: Bond Financing (requires voter approval) Allows the City to borrow funds at lower interest rates Spreads repayment over time, potentially reducing immediate impacts to monthly utility rates Option 2: Cash Funding (no voter approval required) Requires immediate funding through significantly higher monthly utility bills Results in higher short-term costs to residents Regardless of the chosen funding method, the replacement must and will happen. The City is committed to doing everything possible to lower the cost of this project for residents. This includes applying for state and federal grants, pursuing low-interest loans, and working with partners to reduce the total amount borrowed. However, some level of local funding will still be necessary to move forward. Given this information, would you support funding the replacement project through bond financing, which requires voter approval but could minimize monthly rate increases? Yes No Not Sure Utility rates are projected to increase by approximately 3% per year over the next several years, regardless of how the project is funded. However, bond or cash funding would add additional rate increases to fund the facility replacement. If the City moves forward with Phase 1 only (estimated at $80 million) total rate increases could potentially reach up to 60% (including currently projected increases). For example, if your current monthly utility bill is $100, it could increase to approximately $160 over five years. Would you find this rate impact acceptable? Yes No Not Sure This survey was created on Zoho Survey, an online survey tool. Create unlimited surveys for free on www.zoho.com/survey Would you support this level of rate increase in order to complete Phase 1 of the wastewater facility replacement project, if the City is commits to aggressively pursuing available state and federal grants and low-interest loans to reduce the amount that must be borrowed and lower the rate impact? Yes No Not Sure If the City moves forward with the entire project ($130 million), total rate increases could potentially reach up to 106% (including currently projected increases). For example, if your current monthly utility bill is $100, it could increase to approximately $206 over five years. Would you find this rate impact acceptable? Yes No Not Sure Would you support this level of rate increase in order to fully fund the entire wastewater facility replacement project at once, if the City is commits to aggressively pursuing available state and federal grants and low-interest loans to reduce the amount that must be borrowed and lower the rate impact? Yes No Not Sure How important is it to you that the City pursue state and federal grants and low-interest loans before issuing debt? Very important Somewhat important Not very important Not important at all Not sure This survey was created on Zoho Survey, an online survey tool. Create unlimited surveys for free on www.zoho.com/survey What would make you more willing to support bond funding for the wastewater facility replacement? (Select all that apply) Assurance that the City will pursue grants and low- interest loans to reduce impact to rates Clear explanation of the environmental and health risks if the project is delayed Transparency about how the project will be managed and reported to the public Information about how long the new system will last Other (Please specify) How confident are you that the City of Sandpoint will manage this project responsibly and use funds efficiently? Very confident Somewhat confident Neutral Not very confident Not at all confident What additional information would you need to decide whether to support bond funding for the facility replacement? (Open-ended) This survey was created on Zoho Survey, an online survey tool. Create unlimited surveys for free on www.zoho.com/survey Section 4: Communications and Engagement How would you prefer to receive information about this replacement project and funding options? (Select all that apply) Email Social Media Mail Community Meetings Other (Please specify) Before taking this survey, had you heard about the City of Sandpoint's wastewater treatment plant replacement project? Yes, and I feel well-informed Yes, but I don’t know much about it No, this is the first I’ve heard of it Please share any other comments here. This survey was created on Zoho Survey, an online survey tool. Create unlimited surveys for free on www.zoho.com/survey Section 5: Demographics (Optional and Anonymous) Do you currently pay a utility bill to the City for wastewater services? (This could be directly or as part of your rent or property management fees.) Yes No Not sure Prefer not to answer What is your age group? Under 18 18–34 35–54 55–64 65+Prefer not to answer How long have you lived in the community? Less than 5 years 5–10 years Over 10 years What is your gender? Male Female Prefer not to answer Are you a registered voter or will you be a registered voter in 2025? Yes No Political affiliation (regardless of voter registration status) Republican Independent Libertarian Democratic Unaffiliated Other or prefer not to answer This survey was created on Zoho Survey, an online survey tool. Create unlimited surveys for free on www.zoho.com/survey Thank You Message THANK YOU MESSAGE Thank you for completing this survey. Your insights will help city officials responsibly address the critical need to replace Sandpoint’s wastewater treatment facility. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to sharing the results with the community soon.