McLean County Times

The Town of Normal has launched a new community survey aimed at gathering resident feedback on local services and quality-of-life issues. Developed in partnership with Zencity, the survey covers topics such as housing, education, transportation, and public safety.

Pamela Reece, City Manager for the Town of Normal, said, “The Town routinely gathers input in a variety of ways from community members. This partnership with Zencity will help us gain a better, more representative understanding of the needs and concerns of residents.”

In recent years, the Town has used surveys to collect opinions on specific topics like investment priorities related to COVID-19 recovery, planning for Uptown South’s future, preferences for public art projects, proposed improvements to Vernon Avenue, and broader quality-of-life initiatives.

The current survey allows residents to provide input on a range of municipal services by answering questions about waste management, recycling, public safety, and what they value about living in Normal. Completing the survey is expected to take around 10 minutes.

Reece noted that while community engagement has traditionally included informal surveys and public meetings, this new effort expands those tools. “Community input has always been important to the Town. But, not everyone has the time or energy to attend a public meeting. This effort emphasizes the importance the Town places on listening to and valuing the voices of our residents, ensuring their priorities are addressed effectively,” she said. “We’ve relied on informal surveys, focus groups and public meetings for decades. That won’t change. This effort supplements existing feedback tools we’ve used for years.”

To reach more people where they spend time online or on mobile devices, targeted ads promoting the survey will appear across social media platforms and apps. The ads will feature images from around Normal including parks, festivals, trails, and local services.

Reece explained that because of its scientific design—using response targets based on U.S. Census data—the Town will not share direct links to the survey but encourages participation when residents encounter it online. “We want people to know the survey is legitimate, and most importantly, we want them to participate when they come across the ads online,” she said.

Zencity ensures respondent privacy by not collecting personally identifying information; responses are weighted so all demographic groups are proportionally represented according to municipal census data.

The partnership between Normal and Zencity began in 2018 as part of an ongoing effort to use technology for improving government responsiveness through resident engagement.