Did you hear what happened in Montpelier?

Survey Results September 25, 2011

695 households received the survey, either by newsletter or email. The survey was conducted from the last week in August (when the newsletter was delivered) through September 20, 2011. 89 responses were received 12 by returning the newsletter form, 77 by completing it on the website. Response rate was 12.8% - a higher percentage than we have actually voting for the Board this year, so

What is your #1 source for news about Montpelier in general? MCA Info Website, 3% Line, 2% Newsletter, 11% Person-toPerson, 10%

Email List, 73%

How are you most likely to hear about neighborhood events? MCA Info Line, 2% Website, 2% Person-toPerson, 7%

Newsletter, 23%

Email List, 66%

What do you rely on for news about Board meetings or decisions, community rules, and other official "stuff"? MCA Info Person-toWebsite, 2% Line, 2% Person, 2%

Email List, 25%

Newsletter, 69%

Findings: The Email List is the #1 way that neighbors try to stay informed Though a minority of households subscribe to it, neighbors who want to stay informed say the email list is how they do so 66-73% rely on the email list for general news and event announcements. Even for official stuff, which is rarely shared on the email list, 25% look for it there. 24% of the neighbors who responded said they rely on the email list to the exclusion of all other choices Only 6% rely on the newsletter exclusively Only 2% rely the MCA Info line exclusively None of the survey respondents said they relied exclusively on personto-person sharing or the website Over 6 times as many neighbors responded to the survey using the website than the hard-copy newsletter form, suggesting we should consider adding online voting as an option when we need community input (including perhaps Board elections?).

Bonus Question: How often do you or your family go to the pool each summer?
Never, 19% Several times a week, 40%

Once or twice, 13%

Once a month, 8%

Every week, 9%

2-3 times a month, 11%

2/3rd of neighbors say they go to the pool at least once a month during the summer. 1/3rd said they go rarely if at all But

We asked this question not only to get a raw look at how often neighbors go to the pool, but to see if using the pool changes changed how neighbors learned about what is happening in Montpelier. Eliminating those who said they go to the pool less than once a month, we looked at the responses again

All Respondents General Community News

Website, MCA 3% Info Line, 2% PersontoPerson, 10%

Go to Pool Once a Month or more

MCA Info Line, 4% Newslett er, 12%

Website, Person5% toPerson, 16%

Newslett er, 11%

Email List, 73%

Email list, 63%

Events
MCA Website, Info Line, 2% 2% Newslett er, 23% PersontoPerson, 7%
MCA Info Line, 4% Newsletter , 19% Website, 4% Person-toPerson, 9%

Email List, 66%

Email list, 65%

Official Stuff
Website, 2% MCA Info Line, 2% PersontoPerson, Email 2% List, 25% Website, MCA 2% Info Line, 3% PersontoPerson, 3% Email list, 24%

Newslett er, 69%

Newslett er, 67%

Even among those who regularly use the pool, the email list is the top means of learning what happens in the community. The only significant difference was that 63% of regular pool-goers learn about general news via the email list, compared to 73% of all respondents. Person-to-person sharing rose from 10% to 16%. (The difference for everything else, including social events and official stuff, were only 1-2%. Going to the pool more often didnt significantly change how neighbors learn about what is happening in Montpelier.

So If you wanted to get information out to neighbors whether general information about the community, event announcements, Board decisions, or even Pool news How would you do it?

And now to the raffle