Orange County NC Website
13 <br />Formal written public opinion survey A rigorous, statistically valid survey can be a useful tool but can <br />also be expensive and time-consuming. One estimate from the UNC Odum Institute for Research in the <br />Social Sciences was in the range of $40,000 to $60,000 to administer and gather data from such a survey <br />including at least 2,000 randomly sampled households from both incorporated and unincorporated parts of <br />the County. That cost range assumed that Odum handled all the surveying, information gathering and <br />analysis. County staff involvement in printing and conducting mailings and gathering the data may reduce <br />the costs considerably, but may not achieve as high a level of statistical validity. Odum Institute's initially <br />suggested approach was to consider a strategy of multiple mailings and follow-ups to make sure of a high <br />response rate. The Odum Institute could perform such a survey beginning in January with completion in <br />late March. Staff could pursue more detailed information or proposals if there is interest in this type of <br />survey work. <br />The local citizen group, Orange County Voice has recently conducted its own survey about waste and <br />recycling in the unincorporated areas and presented its results to the Work Group and Solid Waste <br />Advisory Board. While their survey may have had some limitations, the information gathered may also be <br />useful to the Work Group and BOCC in decision-making. Copies of the results and a presentation were <br />provided at the November 17 meeting. <br />Informal, Written Public Opinion Survey: Such a survey could be conducted by staff and paid part-time <br />assistants through a variety of means, not that unlike the approach used by OCV. Le. some in-person, <br />some mail-in, some via interriet survey tools. There could be an effort to be representative of a broad <br />cross-section of the population, including urban-based users of the SWCCs, as they are part of the system <br />as well as those in the unincorporated areas. The key disadvantage of this approach is that it is not random <br />and less likely to be considered statistically valid, if that is an important standard for this effort. It could be <br />useful in gathering more input but also consumptive of staff time and results would likely not be ready <br />before late February 2010. <br />Public Forums: Staff at the direction of the BOCC with assistance of the Work Group and Solid Waste <br />Advisory Board, could conduct awell-publicized series of forums throughout Orange County focused on <br />the three areas of rural recycling, waste collection and the future of the convenience centers or, the forums <br />could be held on the solid waste plan as a whole, after a draft plan is complete. The forums could have a <br />variety of formats ranging from informal drop-in sessions, to formal staff presentations of a set of options <br />followed by public comment or some hybrid of formats. An independent facilitator, Orange County staff <br />or another moderator could be used. If this approach were selected, the forums could take place in <br />January and perhaps into February at a variety of locations throughout the County. If the forums were on <br />the draft plan as a whole, they would be likely to occur a little later in the year. <br />Focus Groups: The Department has used focus groups in the past to gain information from the business <br />community about the kinds of recycling efforts and waste management efforts they would like to see and <br />what they find useful or un-useful about the current system. The UNC School of Public Health provided <br />an estimate of $9,200 to conduct the four focus groups, one for each quadrant of the County. They <br />previously provided focus groups for the commercial recycling information gathering effort that provided <br />useful feedback from business people. Considerable staff resources and time were required to get <br />respondents to attend the focus groups. Typically around 10 participants are in each focus group, but the <br />information is highly detailed and focused. <br />