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A skater uses the pump track on May 8 at Dickies Skate Plaza at Fire Station Park, 1616 Hemphill St. (Cristian ArguetaSoto | Fort Worth Report)
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About 8,000 Fort Worth residents will receive a survey in the mail this month asking them to answer questions about a wide range of city services. From parks to neighborhood roads, respondents will rate their satisfaction with city services. 

The survey is a decades-old biannual process led by consultant ETC Institute. The survey’s questions remain fairly consistent over time so the city can track trends in the data, Amethyst Sloane, strategy and performance manager with the FWLab, said. 

For two decades, ETC Institute has sent surveys to a representative sample of addresses then followed up with a phone call. This year, ETC Institute will use social media to market the survey, a first for Fort Worth, to try and get a more representative sample of respondents. 

“What they’re finding is, those old methods aren’t necessarily going to get us the demographic representation that we need, particularly with regards to something like age,” Sloane said. 

The city often uses surveys to gather information from residents. Right now, the parks and recreation department is collecting feedback on city parks; last year the city sought comments on community and police relations. The community survey is unique from the city’s many other surveys because it is statistically validated, Sloane said. The survey is meant to be used in the city’s strategic planning efforts. 

“We do adjust the survey every two years based on what our hot ticket items are, what information we need coming up,” Sloane said. 

In 2021, the city’s survey found that most of the city’s residents, 71%, were overall satisfied with city services. Residents also thought that over the next two years, the city should prioritize public safety and maintenance of city streets and facilities. 

The survey tracked changes from 2019 to 2021, noting percentage changes in satisfaction related to city parks and feelings of safety in neighborhoods. 

City Council members will hear the results of the survey around springtime, Sloane said. While the results will likely arrive too early to be used for the 2026 bond program, council members will likely use the results of the survey to inform other public input efforts related to the bond. 

“It really prompts us to have more well-rounded and targeted conversations,” Sloane said. 

The survey also allows the city to look back at decades of data to track resident satisfaction and demand for certain city services. After the information is collected, ETC Institute can sort it by council district and align it with the city’s mapping tools to compare it to other data sets, such as crime and poverty levels, Sloane said.  

If you receive a mailer or targeted ad on social media, Sloane encourages you to participate. 

“It’s an easy way for your voice to be heard about a little bit of everything as far as city services that are provided to just about everybody,” Sloane said. 

Rachel Behrndt is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at rachel.behrndt@fortworthreport.org or via X.