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To the Mayor and Members of the City Council August 18, 2009
Page 1 of 2
SUBJECT: City of Fort Worth Focus Group Report
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On May 19, 200• , the City Council approved M&C C2-3530 authorizing the City Manager to
execute a professional services contract with Open Channels Group, LLC, (OCG) for coordination
of public engagement and citizen feedback through a focus group process. OCG convened four
citizen focus groups during the period June 15-18, 2009. OCG divided the City into four
geographical zones and conducted one focus group in each zone.
Focus group participants were asked to provide feedback on issues such as outsourcing city
services, employee benefits and pay, parks and library districts, ambulance subscription services,
payments in lieu of taxes for enterprise funds, cable programming, City funding for nonprofit
organizations and funding reductions for city services. While details of the findings and
recommendations are shown in the report, focus group participants in general state that they are
aware of the City's budget shortfall and that difficult decisions regarding city services must be
made. Participants want the City to keep them informed and to be transparent throughout the
budget process. They want timely and accurate information about changes to city services.
Participants requested additional information on certain topics, such as parks and library districts,
payments in lieu of taxes for enterprise funds and ambulance subscription services.
The ETC Citizen Survey conducted earlier this year was used to identify focus group participants.
Of those who responded to the ETC Citizen Survey, 416 people indicated a willingness to
participate in a focus group. To maximize the opportunity for diversity of race, ethnicity, gender
and household income, OCG targeted 157 respondents (approximately 20 per council district) to
participate in the focus groups. Despite these efforts, there was an under-representation of
Hispanic participants in the focus groups.
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH. TEXAS
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
SUBJECT: City of Fort Worth Focus Group Report
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Though the process was not without challenges, OCG reports receiving positive feedback from
participants about the City's effort to hold focus group sessions and concludes that because
communication and transparency • government were important to participants, the City should
continue to engage the public in the annual budget process.
If you have any questions or comments regarding this topic, please call Vanessa Ruiz Boling,
Comm ) unity Relations Direc r at 817.392.7534.
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Dale A . Fiss4le'r, P.E.
City Manager
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS