Spring Hill Community Assessment: 2001 Survey Analysis

Abstract

The Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce contacted the Kansas Center for Community Economic Development (KCCED) at the University of Kansas in January 2001 for assistance with the Spring Hill Community Assessment. The KCCED receives federal funds to assist communities in Kansas with community and economic development efforts. Technical assistance was provided by KCCED with the survey instrument development and data entry as well as analysis of the results.

The Survey Research Center (SRC) of the Policy Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Kansas served as a survey consultant in developing the community assessment of instrument. The Survey was then self-administered by the Spring Hill Chamber of Commerce, who mailed the survey to 750 residences in and around the community of Spring Hill, Kansas. Included in the survey was a self-addressed and stamped reply envelop, as well as a deadline to return the survey by April 16, 2001. No follow-ups or reminders were mailed to the residences that received the survey.

As of May 1, 2001, 85 surveys had been returned and these were entered into the database by SRC. The 85 returned surveys represent a response or cooperation rated of 11.3 percent. Given the limited number of completed surveys and the likely response bias, the results reported here do not fall within the generally accepted rules of scientific methodology. However, the results do allow for a review of what the responding citizens thought were the positives and negatives of the Spring Hill community.

The following survey results will first look at who the respondents were and then what they think about Spring Hill – the community, city government, the schools, and existing businesses and services.