Amador County – Jackson City Council decided Monday night that it needs more surveys to reflect a wider demographic of the population, after seeing a preliminary report of a survey of recreation needs and desires at the Oro De Amador park in Jackson.
Amador County Recreation Agency conducted the survey toward a Proposition 84 grant, and ACRA Executive Director Tracey Towner-Yep discussed the findings. She said it was hard to get respondents. Most people respond favorably to her requests, but declined her staff’s requests for surveys.
Vice Mayor Keith Sweet said 41 percent of the respondents were under the age of 18, and that it needed a more “middle aged” demographic responses. He said the Prop 84 application was “dinged” in the past for not having a survey, and he feared they may be dinged again for the demographics missing the middle ages. Sweet said “unfortunately, 10-year-olds might be paying taxes by the time we’re into it.” Sweet said the survey might be able to be better used if they look at the results without the 41 percent juvenile respondents.
City Manager Mike Daly said he thought “it would help to get the additional demographics.” He said Prop 84 workshops emphasized sustainability and water efficiency to be included in the projects.
Councilman Wayne Garibaldi asked if they could meld an Oro De Amador park project with the expensive wastewater plant improvements they need. Daly said “that was part of Option C” in wastewater considerations, but it would require getting to a “tertiary level of treatment,” which was too costly an option. Daly said a “purple pipe” or reclaimed water system could be considered to deliver to the park.
Councilman Pat Crew said one problem he encountered in pushing the surveys was that people “have no concept of the Oro De Amador” property and location. They understand when he mentions that it’s “the old Wheel Development.” Daly said it is linked to the city’s website. Towner-Yep said “people have heard of it but they haven’t heard of it called that.” The survey showed 62 percent of respondents had never heard of Oro De Amador.
She said surveys during the freezing Dandelion Days were not as productive. Sweet said service groups could be a good place to get additional survey responses. Towner-Yep said she tried to get the Native Sons of the Golden West to take surveys, but she received one survey “with all of the club’s opinions.” Sweet said they could probably get 100 more surveys, from visits to Amador Council of Tourism, Jackson Business and Community Association, and Jackson Rotary.
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
