New Bend council greeted by upbeat city report card

Not many first days on the job come with a report card. But the three new Bend city councilors getting down to their first business meeting with four incumbent colleagues got to hear some generally favorable community survey results, though traffic and potholes are among problems to target.

Newly elected council Barb Campbell, Casey Roats and Nathan Boddie were sworn in two weeks ago. But Wednesday night was their first time to publicly voice their views –though Campbell clearly was nursing a pretty hoarse throat that made voicing much a challenge.

After a joint goal-setting session with the city’s planning commission, James Kandell of Portland-based DHM Research presented the findings of a phone survey of about 400 Bend residents.

Overall, the survey found the optimism of Bend as a good place to live remains high, and did despite the recent recession. Factors attributing to the upbeat results included outdoor activities, the climate, a variety of recreational activities and friendly residents.

When surveyed about the “least-liked aspect of living in Bend,” unprompted results included: traffic congestion, winters/cold weather, the cost of living, population growth and limited job opportunities.

“It’s not surprising that this time of year there would be a comment within the community about potholes,” Councilman Doug Knight said. “It’s something our streets suffer from every year.”

Kandell whose firm has done Bend surveys over the past eight years, noted traffic congestion and transportation-related issues are an increasing trend worth watching (and addressing).

“We followed up with, ‘Why do you say the roads are poor or very poor?’ Right off the bat, 70 percent said potholes,” Kandell said.

About 400 Bend residents were surveyed by landline and cellphone in December, a survey done about once every two years. Traffic congestion was the top mention for least-liked aspect of the city.

“Fortunately,” Knight said, “with a growing economy and more revenues coming into the city than what we’ve expected, we’re able to spend more in terms of improving those pavements.”

During the 12-minute survey, nearly 60 percent called Bend an excellent place to work, Kandell said, a figure that dropped below 50 percent during the recession.

An interesting finding — and one apparently true in many cities: Asked what they expect Bend to be like in a decade, one-third each said they think it will be a better place to live, worse or about the same as it is now.

“This is pretty typical,” Kandell said. “You have members of the community who move to a city, and when it changes don’t like it. Others see progress making a city better.”

But overall, he said, “Bend is a gold standard for communities in Oregon,” with residents loving the environment, recreation and the like.

About half felt roads in town were excellent or good, the other half poor or very poor, with “nobody feeling extremely happy or upset,” Kandell said.

The survey also found “moderate concern,” he said, on issues such as vacation home rentals moving out established residents, and the traffic, parking and crowds related to special events.

But when asked whether they support using public funds to address those issues — a “soft ask,” with no dollar figures attached, as Kandell put it — just under half said they would, while 42 percent would not.

Still, Kandell said, “residents love living here,” and by and large believe “the city is on the right track.”

There were also meaty issues during the night — from adding 30 city staff, mostly fire and EMS, to sewer project decisions and more funding for the Murphy Road project, to add a city-managed Murphy-Parrell Road roundabout

So far, while the new councilors were asking many questions, all the night’s votes were 7-0. But there’s plenty of time — and issues — for differences of opinion to emerge over the next two to four years.