March 1, 2000

For Immediate Release
Contact: Shirley Beck Blanco County Citizen Assembly
Phone: (830) 833.5693

1000 Households Respond to Blanco County Citizen Survey: Water and Loss of Ranch land, Open Space Top Priorities

Blanco residents have indicated their top priority concerns are the quality and availability of water, and the loss of open space and rural character of the county.  In January, an opinion survey was sent to 3200 Blanco County households occupied by a registered voter.  More than 1000 surveys were returned - a response rate of almost 30%.  According to Jeff Smith of Opinion Analysts, an Austin based firm who helped with the survey, "This is an extremely high response to a single-wave mail survey. Because of the high response, the respondents represent a diverse cross-section of the community and the results should be a very accurate reflection of the views of Blanco County residents."

The survey was prepared by the Blanco County Steering Committee, a volunteer, nonpartisan group of concerned citizens interested in growth related issues facing Blanco County.  The Steering Committee wanted to find out what issues were most important to Blanco County residents.  Steering Committee member Tom Walston of  Johnson City said, "the Steering Committee was very gratified to have such a good response to the survey.  Now we just need for residents to come together and actively address our concerns."

Citizens will have an opportunity to engage in a discussion and develop an action agenda that might address these concerns at the first Blanco County Citizen Assembly, to begin the evening of Friday, March 3^rd and continue all day Saturday, March 4^th.  The Assembly will benefit from the expertise of three experienced professionals who work on issues confronting rural communities.

Steering Committee member, David Kloster of Blanco said, "We hope this Assembly will be just the beginning of a full-scale citizen driven planning process.  The survey results will continue to help us prioritize and address the real issues of concern to residents of the county."

Opinion Analysts has tabulated the key findings of the survey:
 

• More than 85% of respondents rate the quality of life in Blanco County as either Excellent or Good.

• 47% feel that the quality of life in Blanco County is changing for the worse, compared to 19% who feel things are getting better.

• 71% feel that the increasing demand on a limited water supply is a very serious problem for Blanco County, and threats to water quality is considered a very serious problem by 62%. These are the most highly rated concerns from a list of seventeen possibilities that respondents were asked to rate.  The only other concern rated very serious by a majority of respondents is losing farm/ranch land to development.

• 80% of respondents want to see more formal planning and direction applied to protecting the water supply, and more than half want more planning and direction in the areas of preserving open spaces, maintaining the rural character of the community, avoiding traffic congestion, protecting the environment and protecting wildlife habitat.

Blanco National Bank, citizens of Blanco County, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department provided financial support for the survey.  The Citizen Assembly received financial support from four Texas Foundations: the Brown Foundation, the Hershey Foundation, the Meadows Foundation, and the Shield-Ayres Foundation.

For more a copy survey, more information about the Assembly, or to join one of the Blanco County Task Forces call or write to PO Box 946, Blanco, TX 78606 or call (830) 833.4868