TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Tom Kisela, City Manager
1. Subject
title
Agreement with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates for a citywide survey and analysis.
body
2. Summary
The proposed agreement with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates will develop and administer a statistically valid community survey to measure public perceptions on service priorities and potential local finance measures.
3. Recommended Action
recommendation
1. Approve the agreement with Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates in the amount of $65,750 to develop and administer a statistically valid community survey in the City of Orange and present the results with all necessary analyses/interpretations; and authorize the Mayor and City Clerk to execute on behalf of the City.
2. Authorize the appropriation of $65,750 from the General Fund unreserved fund balance to expenditure account number 100.0201.51670.00000, General Fund - Other Professional & Consulting Services.
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4. Fiscal Impact
The total expenditure for this agreement is $65,750 and will be funded through the General Fund, account number 100.0201.51670.00000. Upon approval of this appropriation, the estimated fund balance for Fund 100 at June 30, 2024 will be $325,742.
5. Strategic Plan Goals
Goal 2: Be a Fiscally Healthy Community
b. Analyze future fiscal needs and potential revenue opportunities.
Goal 4: Provide Outstanding Public Service
e. Obtain, implement, and evaluate public input into our services and programs.
6. Discussion and Background
Across California, many local agencies work with professional research firms to develop and administer community surveys to identify public perceptions as a means to inform future decisions. As a part of the Fiscal Year (“FY”) 2023-2024 budget review, the City Council had expressed interest in staff conducting a communitywide survey to identify service priorities to help guide future budget recommendations. In drawing from Orange Municipal Code Section 3.08.420 (as it pertains to informal solicitations), City staff contacted three research firms with local government experience and obtained three proposals detailing the respective firms’ background, local government experience, research approach, and cost.
At the October 3, 2023, City Council Meeting, the City Council directed staff to study a package of three potential revenue measures - a sales tax increase feasibility study, transient occupancy tax increase feasibility study, and a utility user tax feasibility study (hereinafter collectively referred to as “Local Finance Measures”). Staff contacted the three firms to modify their respective proposals to include analyses on the feasibility of the Local Finance Measures. Provided below are the costs each firm provided. While the City Council can modify or direct a different approach, all three assume a split-sample approach administered to 900 respondents:
|
Firms |
Proposal Cost |
|
Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates |
$65,750 |
|
True North Research |
$53,815 |
|
Probolsky Research |
$49,100 |
After reviewing the revised proposals and meeting with each firm, staff ultimately determined that Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (“FM3”) best meets the City’s needs. While all three firms have been successful in working with local governments across California to administer communitywide surveys (including Local Finance Measure feasibility studies), FM3 has provided research and strategic advice on over 600 Local Finance Measures. ’A list detailing some of FM3s prior work on Local Finance Measures can be viewed by clicking here. <https://fm3research.com/clients_category/ballot-measures/>
While experience in Local Finance Measures was not the sole focus, it helps illustrate research accuracy. Cities utilizing FM3 have likely, in part, relied on the FM3’s research and advice to determine if a particular Local Finance Measure should be placed on a ballot. Locally, FM3 has worked on similar Local Finance Measures in the following cities:
• Garden Grove
• La Habra
• Los Alamitos
• Santa Ana
• Westminster
Although FM3’s cost is the highest of the three proposals, their accuracy and extensive experience suggests that this one-time cost will produce invaluable information that will help inform future City Council decisions and direction to City staff.
7. ATTACHMENTS
• Proposed FM3 Professional Services Agreement and Proposal