Our Work - County & Local Government

Do you know what residents in your area think about the quality of services they receive from you in return for their local tax dollars? Are they satisfied with the services you provide and how do they rate them? Are there other services you should be providing for local residents and are they willing to provide the revenues needed to support them? Are you missing-out on chances to attract potential residents to your county or municipality? How do residents rate the recreational facilities in your area and do they favor more revenue to support current services or provide additional ones?

These are just some of the questions that EPIC·MRA has helped county and local governments get the answers to. EPIC·MRA can help your county or municipality get the information needed to make "informed" public policy decisions utilizing our survey research, custom database development services and database "products."

Survey Research - At EPIC·MRA, all phases of our survey research projects are managed by the firm's principals, who are experts in their field. We approach each survey project with a strong commitment to quality and confidentiality. From writing and refining the survey instrument to meet your needs, to designing the survey sample frame, administering the interviews, entering the data, and conducting the analysis, compiling the written reports and advancing recommendations, EPIC·MRA partners with you every step of the way.

Database Development Services - EPIC·MRA can create a custom database for your governmental unit that includes the name, address and telephone number of the registered voters residing there. Working with you, we can add specific fields to the database that indentify particular groups, such as: employees, absentee voters, frequent voters, and other groups within the community that have an interest in local government. By segmenting the database you gain more flexibility when it comes to communicating with area residents about the programs and services you provide and the ones that interest them the most.

Database "Products" - EPIC·MRA offers a broad range of database "products" to support your communications efforts with area residents or particular groups within your community, or to support the local "YES Committee" in its voter identification and get-out-the-vote (GOTV) efforts. These include telephone calling lists, mailing labels, neighborhood walking cards, GOTV calling lists, Election Day poll lists and automated (ROBO) calls.

Selected EPIC·MRA County and Local Government Projects

Branch County
In 2008, EPIC-MRA conducted a survey of county residents and businesses for Branch County to provide information for their future communications effort aimed at attracting residents and businesses to the county. Residents overwhelmingly gave a high positive job rating when asked about the job their local communities do in providing basic governmental services. The survey found they also like the quiet, small town feel of the communities where they live. Those key descriptive characteristics will likely be an important part of the advertising campaign that will be launched to attract people and businesses to Branch County.

Ottawa County
In 2006 and again in 2008, EPIC-MRA conducted a survey of county residents to measure satisfaction with the job county government is doing providing basic county services, as well as measure voter support for potential county-wide millage proposals. In 2006, a 70 percent majority supported a renewal of a county-wide parks millage, and in the subsequent election, 67 percent of respondents voted in favor of the proposal. In 2008 there was less support for a possible millage proposal for roads, and even less for a millage proposal to recover funding from the loss of state revenue sharing. County residents also offered their opinion of where county government should be doing more in providing services, and also where cuts should be made to balance the budget.

Kalamazoo County
In 2006 and again in 2008, EPIC-MRA conducted a survey of county residents to measure their satisfaction with the job county government is doing in providing services, and more specifically how they rate the job done in providing transportation services. Voter sentiment was also measured in 2006 about a renewal of a county-wide transportation millage proposal, which voters narrowly supported in the survey, and then supported at the polls. In 2008, voters were asked about a possible increase in taxes to support the expansion of transportation services. Polling showed that voters were fairly split about a millage increase. In the November election with many new voters participating, the proposal failed. EPIC-MRA conducted another survey to determine if a scaled back proposal could pass. The survey showed that voters would support millage renewal proposals county-wide and in Kalamazoo City.  The Kalamazoo County Transit Authority placed a 4 tenths of a mill renewal on the ballot in on the May 5^th, 2009 election. It was approved by a solid 63 percent majority. In August of 2009, a 6 tenths of a mill proposal will be placed on the ballot in Kalamazoo City, which the survey results show should be able to pass with a solid majority of voter support to maintain transportation services. 

Monroe City
In June of 2004, EPIC-MRA conducted a survey of city residents to measure satisfaction with the job Monroe City is doing providing services, including questions about satisfaction with specific departments of city government. Respondents were also asked how often they visit the downtown area and why, and what would attract more people to visit the downtown area. Public opinion about several policy, as well as tax related, issues were tested in the survey.

Parchment City
In November of 2008, EPIC-MRA conducted a survey of residents in the City of Parchment to measure their satisfaction with city services and gauge public opinion about what people like the most about living in the Parchment community. A separate survey was conducted of residents living outside of both the city and school district - especially of young families - to determine their willingness to consider moving into the Parchment community.