The Catawba County E-News Team thanks the many people who took a few minutes to respond to our survey on the e-newsletter.   Nearly 25% of subscribers responded, which is considered an excellent response rate for a survey of this kind. 

We benefitted greatly from the questions that asked what issues readers would like to see covered in Catawba County E-News, and which issues might deserve a dedicated newsletter.   The top three issues mentioned by readers for future stories in Catawba County E-News were:

• Growth and economic development – from 19% of respondents
  
• Spotlight or focus on different county departments – from 12% of respondents
  
• Green/environmental issues – from 9% of respondents
  

We hope you have noticed more stories related to the environment in the last few issues of Catawba County E-News, including another in this issue.  We're beginning a monthly spotlight on County departments with this issue.  And we are planning for ways to bring more information about growth and development, and economic development, in the near future.

Some of the other subjects subscribers mentioned deal with information that is already readily available on the internet, so we thought it might be helpful to point you in the right direction to obtain some of this information. 

A significant number of respondents made comments about the information we've been providing about board meetings, but the comments are so diverse that it's hard to address everyone's wishes.   Most of the respondents wanted to see more information, including minutes from Board of Commissioners meetings, and more follow-up on Board of Commissioners agenda items.  However, a couple of respondents suggested less information on board meetings. 

With this kind of diverse response, we feel it is best to maintain the present level of information about upcoming meetings in the actual Catawba County E-News.  However, if you are among those who would like to know more about what happened at each meeting of the Board of Commissioners, you may wish to check the Board of Commissioners page often.   From this page, you may get a synopsis of the actions taken at each meeting of the Board, either on the afternoon following a 9:30 a.m. meeting, or on the day after a meeting that began at 7 p.m.   You may also access minutes of meetings from this page, after they are approved by the Board of Commissioners.

Several persons said they wanted to see more information about taxes and spending.  Those decisions are more in the forefront during the first half of each year, as a new County budget is developed, then discussed at budget hearings open to the public, then becomes the subject of a public hearing in May of most years, and is finally approved in June.

We will have more information in Catawba County E-News on the development of the Catawba County budget for fiscal year 2008-2009 during the spring.  As any time, you can access a wealth of information about the present County budget and spending on our web site.

A few people asked for agendas for town board meetings and links to specific city and town events.  Many of Catawba County's municipalities maintain excellent web sites, and you can get this kind of information from those sites.  We have provided a list of links to these city and town web sites.

About 5% of those who answered our survey asked for information on road improvements, construction delays, locations to renew a driver's license and highway improvements.  These are all matters outside of the work of Catawba County Government, under the direction of the North Carolina Department Of Transportation and the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles

Another 5% of respondents asked for a link to government job openings.  Every issue of Catawba County E-News includes a link at the bottom that will take you to the pages showing all job openings with Catawba County Government.

2% of those responding wanted information about lake levels.  Duke Energy has a web page with lake levels that is updated daily. 

Others asked for information about events occurring in the county and those sponsored by Catawba County.  Each issue of Catawba County E-News also has a link, near the bottom, to the County Calendar.

At least one person asked for a way to read previous issues of Catawba County E-News.  You may see all past issues of the e-newsletter on our website.

Other respondents said they would like to see more information on seniors, on recreational opportunities and on special services and new services.  We will bear those requests in mind as we develop future stories for Catawba County E-News.

Those answering our surveys told us that many of the same issues, including economic development and growth issues, the environment, the work of the Board of Commissioners, taxes and spending, and the County Library, would make good topics for separate e-mailed newsletter.  We have begun discussions about the possible development of topic-specific e-newsletters in the future.

We again offer our thanks to all those who answered our survey.  You have helped us make this e-newsletter, which has already won two prestigious national awards, even better!