Continental Research
!
4500 Colley Avenue
!
Norfolk, VA 23508
11
Methodology
This survey was commissioned by the City of Chesapeake
and conducted by Continental Research Associates, Inc.,
a Hampton Roads marketing research firm. The purpose
of the study was to learn how Chesapeake residents feel
about their city and the services that are provided. A total
of 323 surveys were collected by landline and cell phone
from October 1 through October 29 of 2014.
st
th
Similar studies have been performed for Chesapeake
since 1990, with the most recent being in 2008.
Continental Research met with City representatives to
discuss the objectives for the 2014 study. It was decided
that the 2006 survey format would serve as the basis for
the 2014 questionnaire since the 2007 and 2008 surveys
were quite different. Continental Research prepared a
draft survey and presented it to the City for comments and
approval. To respect each participant's time, the survey
was to be limited to 15 minutes in length.
A few screening questions were asked at the beginning of
the interview to confirm that each person was over age 18,
not a business, and a resident of the City (i.e., length of
residence in Chesapeake). Survey respondents were
asked about their satisfaction with a variety of City
services, including parks, public libraries, the public
schools, fire services, police services, community centers,
trash collection, bulk trash pick-up, and the human service
programs.
Satisfaction with the number of things to do in Chesapeake
and the overall appearance of the City were also
measured, as were attitudes about safety (both in the City
and in their neighborhood), the City’s drinking water, the
maintenance of roads and bridges, traffic flow, and the
City’s efforts to communicate with residents. The
resident’s overall level of satisfaction with the services
provided by the City was also measured.
To address communication, survey participants were
asked how they get information about City services,
programs, and activities, their feelings about the City’s
website, the 382-CITY call center, and the City’s cable TV
Channel 48 (incl. City Council meetings,“
Thinking Out
Loud
,” “
Whatever Works
,” and several other WCTV
programs).
At a Glance
!
This telephone survey was
conducted by Continental
Research Associates, Inc.
!
The questions were based on
prior years’ surveys
!
The sample frame included
both landlines and cell phones
!
Residents were randomly
selected to participate
!
The questionnaire took an
average of 16 minutes
!
The calls were made by staff
interviewers using computer-
assisted technology
!
Initial contacts were made in
the evening from Sunday -
Thursday, and 6 attempts
were made to reach each
household selected
!
The interviews were
electronically monitored
!
323 interviews were secured
from Oct. 1 - 29
!
The survey responses were
then analyzed using IBM’s
SPSS software
!
This report includes tracking
data since 1998
