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Member Survey for St. Johns Business Boosters Association Members (survey open through June)

This survey is provided by the St. Johns Business Boosters Association.
It is designed for the members of the St. Johns Business Boosters Association, others in the St. Johns business community and close-in area residents.

As your volunteer board with the mission to support a thriving St. Johns business district, we are always looking for ways to improve things for our businesses. We’ve heard about many challenges you have faced and we have looked for ways to bring the resources and energy to help solve those challenges.

It seems clear now that our initial proposal to become an Enhanced Services District (ESD) did not land well with many of our members. This was a way to allow for special funding from rate payers within a specified district map area to go directly back into the district (less 10% withheld by the city for an administrative fee). Our intentions were pure. Our execution may not have been perfect, but we are human. We are doing our best.

The Board held a special meeting on May 14th and voted to withdraw our ESD proposal with the City for their July review.
As a follow-up step, we would like to understand what it is you want and need, and how to better communicate with you. We would like to know what concerns you would like addressed, and to understand what value you see in having a Business Boosters association. This is not simple work. We dedicate hundreds of volunteer hours to support our district. We want to avoid situations in the future like what happened with our ESD proposal, if we can.

Thank you in advance for completing this survey. We know you want your voices heard, we want that too. This is one productive way to achieve that.
1.Are you a business owner in St. Johns?
2.Do you live in St. Johns?
3.How important are these to you?
It's not important, in fact I am against having this
This is sort of important
I'm neutral on that one
This is pretty important
This is very important
District cleaning and environmental maintenance
District ambassadors (for relationship building, outreach and problem solving – not enforcement)
Business engagement and district communication
Marketing campaigns to support driving guests to the District
Community-driven economic development
A St. Johns Welcome center, visitor center and community hub in the heart of the downtown business district
Fewer empty storefronts
Landlords who fund improvements to their properties
Security (to prevent vandalism and theft at businesses)
Public events happening in the community and business district
Events where business owners can meet each other, build community and collaborate
Advocating with city and county officials on St. Johns' behalf
Low cost marketing and business development consulting for individual businesses
Grants or financial assistance for storefront improvements
Grants or financial assistance for security gates, cameras, exterior lighting and other items to keep businesses and their staff safe
Having a paid staff person for the Boosters so there is less burden and pressure for business owners to volunteer
4.Of what you selected above as a 4 or 5 in importance, how much are you financially willing to contribute to support those initiatives?
5.Did you know the Boosters had proposed an Enhanced Services District (ESD) for St. Johns?
6.How should we best provide information to you in the future?
7.How would you rate the effectiveness of these communication methods?
A poor way to communicate with me
An OK way to communicate with me
Decent
This is a pretty good way to communicate with me
This is a terrific way to communicate with me
Email
Instagram
Flyers posted around the District
Signal posts in non-emergency channel
Information posted to the stjohnsboosters.org website and event calendar
Meeting invites sent to my calendar
Having General Meetings where members can attend and hear what’s up
Something sent to me in the mail or dropped at my business
Text message
The digital marquees
The marquee near the Bridge
8.The Board communicates with our members in various ways, through various channels, yet we continue to hear feedback from some of our members they were not aware of things going on in the District. We’re a bit at a loss for how to improve upon this. What else should we know or try?
9.If a series of Listening Sessions and QA sessions were held to review something as significant as an Enhanced Services District proposal, would you attend?
10.How important is it to you to have a nonprofit volunteer Board working to create and host events in the District (like the Tree Lighting, Halloween Walk, the upcoming Saturdays in the Square in the Plaza, etc.)?
Not important
This is nice to have
Very important
11.How important is it to you to have things like mixers and coffee meetings for you to interact with other businesses and Boosters’ members?
Not important
This is nice to have
This is very important
12.How important is it to you that outdoor events also drive traffic to storefronts? (meaning they have a component that encourages attendees to come shop and visit, to move beyond the outdoor event space)
Not important
Nice to have
Very important
13.How important is it to you to have a St Johns Business website with directory of businesses and an event calendar?
Not important
Nice to have
Very important
14.How important is it to you to have your events and promotions marketed and supported by the St Johns Boosters Instagram channel, event calendar on their website, etc?
Not important
Nice to have
Very important
15.Are you interested in being a volunteer to support the design and execution of Boosters strategic initiatives and events?
16.Are you interested in serving on the Board for the Boosters?
17.Are you a current Boosters member?
18.If no, why not?
19.If yes, why did you join?
20.What else would you like us to know?
Thank you for taking the time to answer these questions. The Board will review these survey results to help inform what direction we take moving forward.