Services receive high marks in Morris survey

Recreational, educational opportunites cited for improvement

To what services do Morris residents give the highest ratings?

Fire protection, Kurtz Ambulance, the police department, the public library and garbage collection.

What needs the most improvement?

Recreational opportunities, adult education and economic development efforts.

As part of updating the city's comprehensive plan, the Morris Planning Commission asked residents to fill out a survey. The survey could be completed on-line, but paper copies were also available.

Michael Hoffman of Teska and Associates told the commission Wednesday night that, as of June 18, 313 surveys had been completed. More than half of those completing the survey have lived in Morris more than 20 years.

He said the completed surveys represent about 23 percent of households in the city, so it is probably accurate to within 3 to 5 percent. The full results of the survey are available on the Web site www.Morris2030.com.

Only 20.7 percent rated recreational programs available in the city of Morris as good.

"This is probably because Morris does not have a park district," Hoffman said.

Despite this, about 50 percent of the people thought the ball fields and parks were good.

Concerning economic development, only 14.7 percent rate local industry as good and 21.8 percent rate the effort to attract and retain industry as good.

"This probably reflects the economy and concerns about jobs," Hoffman opined.

Adult education was rated good by 20.8 percent and fair by 43.8 percent.

Morris Community High School was rated good by 37.7 percent and fair by 39.7 percent.

Saratoga School was rated good by 45.6 percent, but 37.7 percent had no opinion.

Morris District 54 was rated good by 30.1 percent and fair by 37.9 percent.

Asked where they shop, 287 of the 288 people who answered the question said they shop downtown at least once a month.

For Walmart, 285 people out of the 288 said they shop there at least once a month.

The Louis Joliet Mall area was equally popular, with 283 of 288 saying they shop there at least once a month.

The Illinois 47 corridor and other areas in Morris were also popular, with about 275 people saying they shop in those locations at last once a month.

Most people think Morris is growing at the right rate. Asked if the Morris growth rate was about right, 66.1 percent agreed and 24.6 percent disagreed.

Controlled growth for Morris is considered good by 79.8 percent of residents.

About 68 percent of people believe the Development Review Committee helps ensure quality new developments.

Currently, the Development Review Committee looks at commercial, industrial and high-density residential developments. About half the people believe the DRC should also look at single-family subdivisions.

Hoffman said some people on the Web site mentioned high property taxes. However in comparing 2007 tax rates, Morris' was lower than Channahon's, Minooka's, and Will and Kendall counties, but slightly higher than those in the suburban collar counties.