Staff Report
BUDA — The city of Buda is launching the Polco National Community Survey (NCS) to gather input from residents on topics, such as public safety, infrastructure and quality of life. The survey provides local governments with an in-depth understanding of how residents perceive their community and its governance, according to a news release.
Beginning Tuesday, March 24, 3,000 randomly selected households within the Buda city limits will receive a mailed survey invitation, followed by a paper copy of the actual survey with paid return postage. Households that receive an invitation and paper copy are asked to follow the enclosed instructions and complete and return the survey at their earliest convenience.
If a household does not receive an invitation or paper copy of the survey in the mail, there will be an open response period for online survey submissions from April 21 through May 19. This gives all residents and stakeholders the opportunity to share their input. Residents can visit http://polco.us/n/res/signup to sign up to be notified when the online survey opens to all residents.
Some survey questions seek feedback on services or programs that may be provided by regional partners or other organizations. While the city may not be able to directly apply every piece of feedback received, the survey is intended to provide a comprehensive understanding of residents’ overall quality of life in Buda and help identify future partnership and programming opportunities.
The city’s primary goals in collecting and reviewing this data are to:
• Understand resident priorities and satisfaction using statistically valid data
• Support transparency and accountability in city decision-making
• Align city services, programs and investments with community priorities
• Create a consistent baseline to track change over time
• Strengthen long-term planning and resource allocation
“Buda’s strength has always been its engaged residents,” said city manager Micah Grau. “This survey helps us listen intentionally and use real data to guide decisions about services, infrastructure and quality of life. Every response helps shape the future of our community.”
For more information on the National Community Survey process, visit www.budatx.gov/communitysurvey. The survey will close on Tuesday, May 19, and staff will publish the findings this summer, following an analysis period.
