Bits and Pieces

Oro Valley  "Flash Vote" reveals one very satisfied customer
One person who responded to a town sponsored "Flash Vote" in February on customer service had some very nice things to say about our community.

"We moved here 9 months ago from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and we continue to be impressed with everything Oro Valley! My husband is currently involved in the Citizens' Academy and is thoroughly enjoying it. I plan to sign up next. Good job on the Moore roundabout. Excellent Police visibility, great communication. We have had occasion to be alerted by the Water (cannot think of the term) Dept's. notification when usage exceeds normal. Superior street/median/boulevard maintenance, nice library and Post Office. Everything is well kept, attractive."

Regarding the survey, at least half of the approximately 500 participants were satisfied with every town service listed. Tops on the list were "Police Patrols and Responses" with an 84% satisfaction rating. Only 54% were satisfied with park management.  You can see all the responses here.

The view from West Lambert Lane Park

Oro Valley needs another "walk in the park"
Lovely day, Wednesday.  We took a walk in Oro Valley's West Lambert Lane Park. It is located on the north side of Lambert, between La Canada and La Cholla.  The park is 40 acres of desert. There are several unpaved walking paths, beautiful desert vegetation, benches and wonderful views.  It's like a mini walk compared to the trails in Catalina State Park. The park has the same look and feel. Unlike the state park, this park costs nothing!

The town has an opportunity to get another beautiful trail, set high up in Rancho Vistoso. It's about 200 acres known as the closed Vistoso Golf Club.

Read this past Monday post and visit Preserve Vistoso to learn more.

"Flash Vote" On Tonight's Council Agenda

"Flash Vote" is a simplistic polling tool
Town Manager Mary Jacobs will be discussing a tool she has implemented to get community feedback. It is called "Flash Vote." We told you about it last month. She will discuss it tonight with Council in a study session that will occur after the regular council meeting.

The town started using this tool in February. It has spent $2,960 for six surveys. We've seen three. Jacobs plans to spend $4,900 for 12 surveys next year.

We question "Flash Votes" usefulness
There are three flash votes in which we have participated. Voting was open for approximately 2 days each in February, March and April.  Approximately. 500 total respondents participated in each. About 83% are Oro Valley residents. The topics and results included:

• Use of water utility tools: We learned from this that almost half the respondents have used a free water utility service. Those that had primarily used the "Water Smart" online usage tool.
• Community Feedback Options: This question ran in March. It asked about participation in town meetings.  62% or respondents attend no meetings in the past year. 38% have attended at least one meeting in the past year.
• Parks, Recreation, Culture: This question ran in February. One of the three questions asked if you had attended the Farmers Market in the past year. 54% said "yes."

Interesting responses are not necessarily useful responses
The results of these polls are at best interesting; but they can't be generalized to the overall Oro Valley citizen population.  You can't extrapolate the results. In the past year, do you think that half the residents used a free water utility free service; or that 38% of town residents have attended a town meeting; or that more than half of the town's residents have attended the Saturday Farmer's Market at Steam Pump Ranch?

Flash vote is a non random survey tool. Participants sign up to answer vote questions. They can sign up to "flash vote" using this link.  At best, "Flash Vote" results represent a sample of the thinking of those who signed up to "flash vote." Otherwise, it is of no practical use in gauging total community input.
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Bits and Pieces

Harvest Restaurant to open in Oro Valley Marketplace
"Fortunately, our Oro Valley location (LaCanada and Lambert Lane) is thriving and will be around for years to come. .. We are pleased and passionately excited to announce that we have secured a space in the Oro Valley Marketplace and are planning to open an upscale wood fired pizza concept in the coming months. We plan to utilize the best of everything for this concept - people, ingredients, equipment & our passionate commitment to taste and quality, to ensure we serve you pizza unlike any place in town. We'll keep in touch, and will announce our opening date, when we have a better idea when that would be. "(Source: Harvest Restaurant email

Register for "Flash Vote"
The town has implemented "flash voting" as a technique to get more people involved in the community and as a means for learning the thoughts of the "silent majority." You can sign up here.

Once you so so, you will receive an email with a link that directs you to a "flash vote" on a particular question. The vote, of course, is not statistically valid because it is not random. For example, 20% of respondents in a recent poll said they had attended a council or commission meeting in the past year. The real number is probably less that 2% or Oro Valley's 45,000 residents. Nonetheless, we think that it is important to voice your thoughts. So, do register and do "flash vote."

It is springtime in Oro Valley
It is a beautiful time of year.  We especially appreciate it after a rather long, rather cold and a definitely wet winter.

So get out there. Enjoy the beauty that is Oro Valley just like our beautify butterfly friend enjoying the fresh pollen from our lilac tree.
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